-NRLF 


327 


GIFT  OF 


OF  THE 

ER 

OF 


CAST  UP  BY  THE  SEA, 


BY 


SIR  SAMUEL  W.  BAKER,  M.A.,  F.R.G.S., 

GOLD   MEDALIST    OF   THE   ROYAL    GEOGRAPHICAL   SOCIETY  ;     GRANDE    MEDAILLE    D'O 
DE  LA  SOCIETE   DE  GEOGRAPHIE   DE   PARIS  ; 

AUTHOR   OF   THE   "ALBERT    N*YANZA   GREAT   BASIN   OF   THE   NILE,"    "THE   NILE 
TRIBUTARIES   OF    ABYSSINIA,"    "THE   RIFLE   AND    THE    HOUND    IN   CEY 
LON,"  "EIGHT  YEARS'  WANDERINGS  IN  CEYLON,"  ETC.,  ETC. 


COMPLETE. 
WITH  TEN  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY  HUARD. 


OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 
of 


NEW    YORK: 

HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  PUBLISHERS, 

FRANKLIN     SQUARE. 
1869. 


DEDICATION.  * 

SINCE  the  publication  of"  Albert  N'yanza  "  and  the  "  Nile 
Tributaries  of  Abyssinia,"  I  have  received  numerous  letters 
from  boys  to  whom  I  was  entirely  unknown,  and  who  are  at 
at  this  moment  unknown  to  me  except  through  their  sponta^ 
neous  correspondence.  Their  letters  were  written  in  the 
youthful  enthusiasm  of  the  moment,  when,  having  shared  in 
the  excitement  of  our  African  journeys,  they  had  closed  the 
book,  and,  full  of  sympathy,  they  wrote  to  me  effusions  which 
I  prize  as  the  outburst  of  boyish  admiration  for  a  successful 
struggle  with  difficulties. 

As  a  proof  of  the  value  that  I  attach  to  these  warm  ex 
pressions  of  interest  taken  by  the  young  in  our  past  adven 
tures,  I  now  dedicate  to  all  boys  (from  eight  years  old  to 
eighty)  a  story  of  fiction,  combined  with  certain  facts,  that 
will,  I  trust,  relieve  the  dreariness  of  a  long  Christmas  even 
ing. 

At  the  same  time  that  I  have  endeavored  to  avoid  all  im 
probabilities,  I  must  apologize  for  having  taken  an  astronom 
ical  liberty  in  producing  an  eclipse  of  the  sun  which  is  not  in 
the  almanac. 

S.  W.  BAKER. 


M  n.  1  r/^ 
1  /  / 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Sandy  Cove. — The  19th  of  August,  1791. — A  strange  Figure. — Paul  and 
Polly  Grey.— Captain  Smart. — The  old  Hag,  Mother  Lee. — Looking 
out  for  a  Wreck. — A  Ship  in  the  Storm. — The  Wreck.— A  Prize  cast 
up  by  the  Sea  for  Polly  Grey Page  17 

CHAPTER  II. 

A  Body  from  the  Wreck. — Dr.  Jones  — Paul  and  Polly  examine  their 
Prize. — Counsel  of  Dr.  Jones 43 

CHAPTER  III. 

Twelve  Years  after. — News  for  Mistress  Grey. — A  Smuggler's  Cave. — 
Polly  watching  for  her  Husband. — Mother  Lee  again. — Paul's  Danger 
on  Sea. — His  Arrival  at  Home. — Ned  Grey. — His  Account  of  the 
Voyage. — The  Revenue  Cutter  on  the  Iron  Rock. — Mother  Lee's 
fearful  Revenge. — A  'Nigger  Boy  cast  up. — Captain  Smart  boards  the 
,—  The  King's  Officer  and  the  Smuggler 50 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Ned  Grey  at  School. — Edith  Jones  and  Nero. — Jem  Stevens.— Expelled 
from  School. — His  Fight  with  Ned  Grey 77 

CHAPTER  V. 

Choice  of  Business  for  Ned. — Edith  and  Ned  in  the  Grave-yard. — A  Love 
Scene  interrupted  by  Mother  Lee. — Ned's  Dream. — On  the  Beach 
with  "Nigger  Tim." — A  Man-of-war's  Boat  and  Crew. — Friendly 
Offer  to  take  in  Ned  and  Tim. — Kidnaped  for  the  King. — Tim's  Ac 
count  of  his  Rescue  by  Ned. — Under  Canvas. — Meeting  with  Ste 
vens 92 

A2 


3 

X  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  VI. 

P^lly  Grey  watching  the  Man-of-war's  Boat. — The  Search  for  Ned. — 
Constables  in  Possession  at  Paul  Grey's. — Murder  of  Rector  Jones. 
— His  last  Words,  "  Ned  Grey."— Dreadful  Charge  against  the  absent 
Ned.— Mother  Lee  divulges  the  Cave.— Seizure  of  the  Smuggler's 
Stores. — And  of  the  Relics  of  the  Wreck  cast  up  by  the  Sea. — Arrival 
of  Captain  Smart.— Polly  Grey  and  Edith  Jones.— Damaging  Evi 
dence  against  Ned, — Verdict  of  Willful  Murder  against  Paul  and  Ned 
Grey  and  Nigger  Tim. — Apprehension  of  Mrs.  Grey. — The  Rectory. 
— Removal  to  Paul  Grey's  Cottage. — More  "Luck  from  the  Sou'- 
west." , Page  108 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Lugger  and  Cutter  off  Sandy  Cove.— Mother  Lee's  Stratagem.— The 
Fires  lighted. — Mother  Lee  herself  becomes  a  Signal  Fire. — Her 
awful  Death. — Polly  Grey  on  the  Cliff. — Joe  Smart's  Account  to 
Polly  of  his  Cruise.— Joe's  Hopes  and  Fears.— Edith's  Visits  to  the 
Grave  of  the  poor  Lady  cast  up  by  the  Sea..,« "... 129 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Return  to  Paul  on  his  Voyage  to  the  French  Coast.  —Dick  Stone's  Sus 
picions. — The  Frenchman's  Politeness.— Betrayed,  and  Prisoners.— 
A  French  Jail. — The  Jailer's  Daughter. — Inquires  for  her  Brother, 
a  Prisoner  in  England. — Dick  Stone's  Imposture,  as  a  Stratagem  of 
War. — Paul  and  Dick  resolve  desperate  Things. — Paul's  Opinion  of 
his  Friend's  Conscience.— Dick's  Gallantry  to  Le'ontine 145 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Polly  at  anchor. — Preparations  for  Escape. — "Now  or  never."— 
"Luck  from  the  Sou'-west."— Sapping  and  Mining.  —  Leontine's 
Soldier  Lover. — Her  Plan  for  his  Capture. — Success  of  the  Plot. — Re 
capture  of  the  Polly.— Under  Sail.— Dick's  parting  Salute  "— "Nor'- 
nor'east  " 


CONTENTS.  xi 


CHAPTER  X. 

Paul  Grey  in  Sight  of  Home — A  Revenue  Cutter  bearing  down  on  the 
Polly. — Putting  about  from  Home. — A  Sail  ahead. — Suspicions. — 
Realities. — The  Frenchman's  Politeness. — Dick  Stone's  Reply. — The 
Fight. — Paul  and  Dick  side  by  side  on  the  Deck. — Death  of  Dick 
Stone Page  177 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Ned  Grey,  Nigger  Tim,  and  Nero  at  Sea. — A  Man  overboard.— The 
three  Friends  to  the  Rescue. — Nero's  Discovery,  and  Refusal  to  act. — 
Jem  Stevens. — Ned  called  to  the  Quarter-deck. — Jem's  Ingratitude. 
— Arrival  off  the  Coast  of  Ceylon. — Looking  out  for  the  French...  190 

CHAPTER  XII. 

News  of  the  French  Frigate  Forte. — In  Sight  of  her. — The  Action. — 
Ned  and  his  Friends  and  Jem  Stevens. — The  Prize  Crew. — For  En 
gland. — A  Hurricane. — Disasters  to  the  Frigate. — Preparing  to  aban 
don  the  Ship. — Treachery  of  Jem  Stevens 202 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Ned,  Tim,  and  Nero  abandoned. — Rumaging  the  Stores. — A  Coral  Isl 
and. — Jem  Stevens's  Box. — Making  themselves  at  Home. — Tim's 
Oyster  Trick. — Turtle. — Taking  in  Stores. — Putting  off  to  Sea.— Land 
ahead. —  A  Shark  Hunt. —  Canoes  from  Land. —  Tim's  Opinion  of 
them...  ..  220 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Nero's  Reception  of  the  Strangers. — A  Negro  Welcome. — Female  Curi 
osity. — Nero's  Position  among  the  Negroes. — Ned's  Hut. — Arranging 
the  '•  Grounds." — Ned  married  to  the  Chief's  Daughter. — Refuses  the 
Happiness  conferred  on  him. — The  Chief  solves  the  Difficulty  by  giv 
ing  him  two  Wives  instead  of  one. — Anger  of  the  People. — Determine 
to  escape. — The  Departure. — Captured  by  Slave-hunters. — Tim's 
Opinion  of  the  Position,  and  of  Ned's  Refusal  to  marry  the  Chief's 
Daughters. — Ned  faces  a  Lion  with  Nero. — And  is  victorious....  240 


xii  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Marching  to  the  West. — Fine  Scene. — A  populous  Country. — The  Ne 
gro  Town. — Tim  among  his  own  People. — Becomes  the  Spokesman. 
— His  Illustration  of  the  Power  of  the  Gun. — Petitions  the  King  for 
Freedom. — Favorable  Reception  of  the  Petition, — Purchase  of  Ned 
and  Tim  by  the  King. — A  Negro  Supper. — Ned  summoned  to  Coun 
cil. — Pronounced  a  "Rain-maker." — The  Compass. — And  Quicksil 
ver. — The  Telescope  as  a  Magical  Instrument. — Seizure  of  Slaves. — 
Inhumanity  of  the  Slave  Traffic.— Tim's  Opinion  of  it Page  2G3 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Life  among  the  Negroes. — Ned's  Distinction,  and  its  Danger. — An  Ex 
pedition  by  Sea. — Successful  Hunting. — An  Enemy  in  Ambush. — 
Ned's  Generalship. — His  victorious  Retreat. — His  Prowess  celebrated. 
— His  Attempts  to  teach  the  Natives  Religion.— The  Nautical  Alma 
nac. — The  King's  Opinion  of  European  Astronomy. — Ned  ventures  to 
predict  an  Eclipse. — Tim's  politic  Advice. — The  King's  Anger  and 
Threats. — Ned's  Danger. — The  Eclipse 277 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Leontine  at  Falmouth.— Her  Brother  set  free.— The  News  of  Paul's 
Death.— Grief  of  Polly  Grey.— Joe  Smart's  Kindness.— His  Visits  to 
Polly  at  the  House  of  Widow  Jones.— Jem  Stevens  at  Home  again, 
and  "  Squire." — Mrs.  Jones's  Opinion  of  him. — Jem's  Account  of  his 
Adventures.— Widow  Jones  speaks  to  Edith.— Edith's  Resolution. 
— Jem's  Declaration  of  Love. — What  came  of  it...,  ..  305 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Mrs.  Jones  compares  Jem  with  Ned.— Joe  Smart's  Love  for  Polly  Grey. 
—Sets  off  to  learn  what  he  can  of  Paul's  Death. — A  Stranger  on 
the  Road. — The  Stranger's  Inquiries. — Visits  Polly  Grey. — Paul  once 
more  at  Home t>  325 


CONTEXTS.  xiii 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Paul's  Account  of  himself. — Joe  Smart's  Welcome  of  his  old  Friend. — 
Joe  meets  Jem  Stevens  in  the  Dark — Apprehension  of  Paul. — Ned 
and  Tim  in  Africa. — A  demand  for  Rain. — Ned's  Dilemma. — Tim's 
Statesmanship. — The  Escape. — Sad  Fate  of  Nero.— His  Burial. — A 
Prairie  Fire. — Among  the  Natives  again. — A  Negro  Village. — The 
Queen. — Her  Beauty. — Her  Affection  for  Ned. — Her  Proposal.  — Pur 
suit  by  Ned's  former  Friends. — Battle.— Death  of  the  young  Queen. 
—Departure  of  Ned  and  Tim Page  337 


CHAPTER  XX. 

In  the  Desert.— Want  of  Water. — Death  of  the  Guide. — The  last 
Draught  of  Water. — Tim's  devoted  Faithfulness. — And  Death. — 
Rain.— Burial  of  Tim.— An  Arab  Village.— The  Union-jack.— Tho 
Lizard  Light. — Falmouth 372 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Jem  Stevens  and  Edith. — A  Letter  to  the  latter. — Reads  it. — Jem  pur 
poses  to  depart. — Edith  locks  the  Door. — Arrival  of  Ned. — He  shows 
Jem  the  Door. — Apprehension  of  Ned 388 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Message  to  Edith  from  a  dying  Man. — Who  confesses  himself  guilty  of 
the  Murder  of  her  Father. — Evidence  against  Jem. — Deposition. — 
The  Sessions. — Paul  and  Ned  at  the  Bar. — Evidence  of  Mrs.  Jones. 
— The  Defense. — The  Murderer  in  Court. — The  Judge  examines 
the  Trinkets  so  long  ago  "cast  up  by  the  Sea." — Ned  finds  his  Fa 
ther...  ..  307 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Story  of  Ned's  Parentage. — Arrest  of  Jem  Stevens. — Marriage  of  Ned 
and  Edith. — Fate  of  Jem  Stevens. — The  Cottage  on  the  Cliff  at  Sandy 
Cove...,  409 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTEATIONS. 

PAGE 

CAST  UP  BY  THE  SEA  ! Frontispiece. 

NED    SAVES   TIM   FROM   THE   WRECK 67 

THE   FIGHT , 89 

DESTRUCTION   OF   MOTHER    LEE , 136 

PAUL  GREY   BOARDING   THE   FRENCH    SCHOONER 184 

DESERTION   OF   NED   AND   TIM   BY   STEVENS 217 

NED   AND  THE    LION 259 

DEATH   OF   THE   AMAZON   QUEEN 367 

DEATH   OF  TIM 380 

DISCOVERY   OF   THE   BODY   OF   JEM    STEVENS 416 


xC 

f          OF  THE 

I  yWV£RS 


CAST  UP  BY  THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ON  the  rugged  coast  of  Cornwall,  where  the  waves  of  the 
Atlantic  break  in  their  rudest  force  against  the  inhos 
pitable  cliffs,  there  stood  in  the  year  1784  a  small  fishing 
village. 

This  hamlet  was  hardly  worthy  of  the  name,  as  it  consist 
ed  of  merely  two  or  three  clusters  of  huts,  chiefly  formed 
of  decayed  vessels  which,  no  longer  sea-worthy,  had  been 
sawn  in  halves  and  inverted ;  thus  their  well-tarred  bottoms 
became  the  roofs  to  protect  the  occupants,  who  in  former 
days  had  navigated  their  dwellings  in  the  double  capacity 
of  fishermen  and  smugglers. 

The  spot  was  well  chosen.  In  the  rough  wall  of  preci 
pices  which  rose  from  the  waters'  edge  to  the  height  of 
several  hundred  feet  there  was  a  sudden  break,  and  a  nar 
row  cleft  in  the  face  of  the  cliff  of  about  fifty  yards'  width 
opened  into  an  inclosed  bay  so  completely  land-locked  as  to 
form  a  natural  harbor  of  exceedingly  small  dimensions,  the 
entire  diameter  of  the  horse-shoe  form  being  within  two 
hundred  yards  in  width. 

This  bay,  surrounded  by  lofty,  precipitous  cliffs,  formed 
an  amphitheatre  excluded  from  the  rest  of  the  world,  as  its 
very  existence  would  be  unknown  to  a  stranger  until  he 
suddenly  approached  the  verge,  and  observed  the  calm 
basin  below,  with  the  sea  horizon  beyond  the  narrow  gap 


18  CAST  UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

that  formed  the  entrance  to  the  bay.  At  low  tide  the  sand 
was  exposed  for  a  considerable  extent,  while  at  high  water 
the  waves  rippled  upon  the  shingly  beach,  upon  which  were 
arranged  the  boats  belonging  to  the  villagers,  while  fishing- 
nets  with  crab  and  lobster  pots  were  stretched  upon  the 
stones  to  dry. 

Strewed  upon  the  beach  in  all  directions  was  an  ominous 
amount  of  ship  timber,  the  fragments  of  wrecks  that  had 
been  washed  into  the  bay ;  while  staves  of  casks,  wooden 
hoops,  and  remains  of  broken  cases  attested  the  loss  of  ship 
and  cargo  that  had  been  driven  on  this  fatal  shore.  Among 
the  numerous  casualties  upon  that  portion  of  the  Cornish 
coast  few  shipwrecked  persons  survived  to  tell  their  tale. 
There  was  no  landing-place  for  many  miles  along  the  shore 
but  Sandy  Cove,  except  at  low  water  during  calm  weather, 
when  certain  exposed  points  that  had  been  worn  away  by 
the  waves  afforded  a  rough  beach  of  broken  crags  that  had 
fallen  from  the  cliffs  above.  These  slippery  rocks,  covered 
with  long  sea-weed,  were  often  the  hopeless  refuge  of  the 
strong  swimmer,  who  had  struggled  with  the  storm  only  to 
be  dashed  to  pieces  against  the  cruel  shore  that  refused  him 
shelter.  It  was  reported  vaguely  that  the  inhabitants  of  this 
pitiless  coast  were  equally  inhospitable,  and  that  the  fisher 
men  of  Sandy  Cove  combined  the  professions  of  smugglers 
and  wreckers  with  their  more  honorable  occupation. 

The  huts  or  cabins  that  composed  the  village  might  have 
amounted  to  twenty.  These  were  erected  in  various  local 
ities,  without  any  regard  to  arrangement,  in  such  positions 
as  were  most  favorable — generally  about  fifty  feet  above 
high-water  mark — upon  the  level  plateaux  that  had  been 
formed  by  the  detachment  of  portions  of  the  cliff.  Upon 
these  narrow  terraces  the  boat  cabins  were  built  directly 
against  the  abrupt  face  of  the  wall-like  rock  that  rose  for 
several  hundred  feet  above  them,  while  the  tiny  gardens 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  19 

that  faced  each  hut  were  fenced  with  the  remnants  of  ship 
timber,  that  was  the  principal  feature  of  the  locality.  Many 
of  these  gardens  showed  the  care  and  taste  of  the  owners ; 
and  the  bright  flowers  that  bloomed  in  that  warm  and  shel 
tered  nook  contrasted  strangely  with  the  plain  black  cabins 
of  inverted  boats  that  formed  the  rude  dwellings  of  the 
fishermen. 

Before  these  huts  were  high  forked  sticks  whitened  by 
long  use,  upon  which  were  stretched  the  drying  lines,  whence 
dangled  in  the  breeze  the  dark-blue  Guernsey  frocks,  check 
ed  shirts,  and  gray  stockings  of  the  men,  with  blue  petti 
coats  distended  by  the  wind,  and  square,  queer-shaped  shifts 
that  evidently  belonged  to  the  females  of  the  establishment. 

So  completely  were  the  dwellings  sheltered  and  conceal 
ed  by  the  high  cliffs  above  that  a  stone  might  have  been 
dropped  perpendicularly  upon  the  roofs,  and  the  only  ap 
proach  from  the  higher  ground  was  by  zigzag  paths  wind 
ing  down  the  rocks  to  the  beach  below. 

Only  one  exception  to  the  rule  of  general  concealment 
showed  that  the  coast  was  inhabited.  About  two  hundred 
feet  above  the  bay,  but  sheltered  by  the  still  higher  cliff  at 
the  back,  there  stood  upon  a  natural  terrace  a  neat  cottage 
formed  of  clay,  built  up  with  portions  of  wreck,  the  whole 
white-washed,  excepting  the  timber  work,  that  was  carefully 
blackened  with  a  coating  of  pitch.  The  garden  which  front 
ed  the  dwelling  was  luxuriant  in  dense  bushes  of  myrtle, 
while  sweet  verbena  ornamented  the  walls  of  the  cottage, 
at  the  back  of  which  the  red  marble  cliffs  rose  about  a  hun 
dred  feet  to  the  summit.  There  was  no  approach  from  the 
higher  ground,  but  it  was  necessary  to  ascend  from  the  vil 
lage  below  by  a  winding  path  hewn  out  from  the  rough  face 
of  the  cliff. 

From  this  lofty  point  the  sea  view  overlooked  the  en 
trance  to  the  bay  with  an  unbroken  line  of  horizon,  while 


20  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

from  the  low  wall  of  stone  that  bordered  the  narrow  gar 
den  was  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  little  harbor  beneath,  in 
which  were  lying  at  anchor  several  small  fishing  -  boats, 
but  above  all  a  smart-looking  lugger  of  about  forty  tons. 
This  vessel  was  said  to  be  a  trawler,  and  was  called  the 
Polly. 

It  was  a  sultry  night  in  August.  The  day  had  been 
oppressive  ;  it  was  a  dead  calm  upon  the  sea,  and,  as  the  sun 
had  sunk,  a  yellowish  glare  of  haze  had  obscured  the  hori 
zon,  while  long  thin  streaks  of  fleecy  clouds,  tinged  with 
vermilion  with  the  sun's  last  rays,  turned  ominously  black 
when  the  bright  light  faded.  The  swallows  had  been  flying 
so  low  as  to  merely  skim  the  ground,  and  the  sea-gulls  had 
been  screaming  in  a  wild  manner  as  they  followed  the 
shoals  of  porpoises  that  chased  the  mackerel  at  the  entrance 
of  the  bay.  For  some  weeks  no  rain  had  fallen,  and  unusu 
al  heat  had  parched  the  country.  Such  was  the  sunset  of 
the  19th  of  August,  1791 :  the  sea  and  atmosphere  were  so 
mingled  together  that,  in  the  dull  twilight,  nothing  could 
be  distinguished  on  the  surface ;  but  an  unnatural  stillness 
pervaded  the  darkening  scene. 

At  this  time  a  strange  figure  sat  upon  the  low  garden- 
wall  that  overlooked  the  sea,  and,  apparently  motionless, 
strove  to  pierce  the  mysterious  haze  that  shrouded  the 
horizon.  At  the  first  sight  it  would  have  been  difficult  to 
determine  the  sex,  but  a  closer  examination  showed  it  to  be 
a  female.  She  sat  at  that  giddy  height  crouched  and  bal 
anced  upon  the  unstable  wall,  with  her  knees  close  to  her 
thin  and  scantily-bearded  chin,  while,  to  steady  her  position, 
she  tightly  clutched  her  ankles  with  her  long  and  wiry 
hands.  She  wore  neither  shoes  nor  stockings.  A  ragged 
petticoat  of  blue  serge,  with  a  long  jacket  of  the  same  coarse 
material,  formed  the  whole  of  her  clothing,  while  an  old 
sailor's  oil-skin  cap,  known  as  a  "  sou'-wester,"  covered  her 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  21 

head,  and  descended  to  her  gaunt  shoulders.  It  would  have 
been  impossible  to  have  guessed  her  age — she  might. have 
been  seventy  or  ninety ;  her  hair  was  white,  and  fell  in  long 
grizzled,  locks  that  had  been  uncombed  for  years ;  her  face 
was  weather-beaten  and  brown,  but  so  wrinkled  and  cadav 
erous  as  to  resemble  nothing  earthly,  and  a  long,  sharp,  hook 
ed  nose  descended  to  a  level  with  her  thin,  compressed  lips. 
In  the  dead  stillness  of  the  evening  this  ill-omened  figure 
gazed  intently  upon  the  dark  sea.  Presently  she  muttered, 
"  Sou'-west !  sou'-west !  luck  comes  from  the  sou'-west — 
fog  on  the  sea,  and  fire  on  the  cliff !  Ha,  ha !  ha,  ha  !  The 
storm's  a-coming." 

The  darkness  increased  until  the  figure  of  the  old  hag 
first  dwindled  to  a  shadow  and  was  soon  utterly  obscured, 
her  presence  in  the  same  spot  being  only  revealed  by  a  low, 
guttural  rattle  or  chuckle  at  every  increased  moan  of  the 
wind,  which  now  r.ose  at  intervals,  although  the  air  was  still 
death-like  calm. 

At  this  moment  a  light  shone  from  the  window  of  the 
cottage  about  twenty  paces  distant. 

The  interior  of  this  cottage  was  a  combination  of  neat 
ness  and  disorder ;  fishing-nets  were  hung  from  beams  in 
the  ceiling,  spare  corks  and  leads  for  nets  were  strung  upon 
ropes  and  hung  in  festoons  upon  various  hooks  upon  the 
walls,  while  oars  and  boat-hooks  were  arranged  across  the 
beams,  upon  which  planks  were  fitted  to  form  a  loft :  upon 
these  were  piled  a  variety  of  objects  in  great  confusion. 
The  floor  was  paved  with  red  brick  strewn  with  white  sand ; 
the  lattice  windows  were  ornamented  with  geraniums  in 
pots  brightened  with  red  lead,  and  the  mantle-piece  was 
arranged  with  shells :  in  the  centre  stood  a  large  wooden 
clock,  above  which  hung  a  print  in  a  black  frame  of  King 
George  the  Third.  There  were  several  prints  of  vessels 
hanging  on  the  walls ;  but  there  was  one  that  was  in  a  su- 


2-2  OAST   UP  BY  THE  HE  A. 

perior  frame,  as  though  of  more  importance :  this  was  a 
lugger  in  full  sail  with  a  spanking  breeze,  beneath  which 
was  written  in  gold  letters,  "  The  Polly — 40  tons."  On 
either  side  of  this  were  hung  a  brace  of  ship  pistols  and  a 
cutlass,  while  half  a  dozen  muskets  were  ranged  above  the 
fire-place. 

The  cottage  consisted  of  a  bedroom  and  sitting-room, 
with  a  small  back  kitchen,  one  wall  of  which  was  formed 
by  the  cliff  against  which  the  dwelling  was  erected.  The 
clock  struck.  » 

"  What  o'clock's  that  ?"  inquired  a  man  from  the  inner 
room ;  "  nine  or  ten  ?" 

"  I  hardly  listened,"  said  a  sweet  woman's  voice ;  "  for  I 
am  too  sad  to  think  of  time,  but  I  see  it  is  already  ten." 

At  this  moment  a  fine-looking  seaman  entered  the  room, 
and  approaching  the  table  at  which  the  last  speaker  was 
sitting,  he  drew  his  chair  to  her  side. 

"  Don't  be  cast  down,  Polly,  my  girl,"  he  exclaimed,  in  a 
rough  but  sympathizing  tone ;  "  it's  a  bad  job,  but  it  can't 
be  helped.  Cheer  up  !  Sobbing  won't  bring  him  back 
again ;  we  must  bear  the  loss  and  wait  for  better  luck ;  he's 
saved  from  many  a  rough  night,  poor  child !" 

This  attempt  at  comfort,  far  from  giving  consolation, 
produced  a  burst  of  tears,  and  the  lovely  girl  to  whom  the 
words  were  addressed  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  gave 
way  to  unrestrained  emotion  as  she  bowed  her  head  upon  a 
much  worn  old  family  Bible  that  lay  open  before  her. 

Mary,  or,  as  she  was  commonly  called,  Polly  Grey,  was 
the  young  wife  of  the  manly  specimen  of  a  British  sailor 
who  now,  sitting  by  her  side,  vainly  sought  to  soothe  her 
affliction.  She  was  the  only  daughter  of  a  respectable  farm 
er  in  the  neighborhood,  and  she  had  been  nearly  a  year 
married  to  Paul  Grey,  the  happy  and  much-envied  husband 
whose  frank,  straightforward  manner  and  handsome  person 


CAtfT    UP  BY   THE  SEA<  23 

had  won  the  prize  that  had  been  sought  by  many  of  greater 
wealth  and  position. 

Polly  Grey  was  a  fair  sample  of  an  English  rustic  beau 
ty  ;  of  middle  height,  finely,  but  vigorously  formed,  a  lovely 
complexion,  with  large,  deep-blue  eyes,  and  rich  blonde  hair 
that,  when  released  from  the  simple  but  neatly-twisted  coil, 
fell  in  heavy  masses  far  below  her  waist.  She  was  now  in 
her  twenty-first  year ;  she  had  been  the  happiest  of  the  hap^ 
py  since  her  wedding-day.  Two  months  ago  she  had  first 
known  the  joy  that  a  mother  alone  can  feel,  when  she  press 
ed  a  lovely  child  to  her  heart.  The  scene  had  changed ;  she 
was  now  in  black ;  hardly  a  week  had  passed  since  her  first 
hope  was  shattered,  and  the  child  upon  which  all  her  joys 
had  centred  had  ceased  to  live.  That  first  grief  pressed 
heavily  upon  her.  Till  now  her  life  had  been  all  sunshine  ; 
a  husband  that  she  loved,  her  infant  boy  born  in  the  image 
of  his  father ;  but  hardly  had  he  learned  to  smile  upon  her 
than  he  died.  "  Why  was  he  born  if  only  to  die  ?  Why 
was  he  given  if  only  to  be  taken  away  ?  Why  was  she  a 
mother  if  only  to  be  a  mourner  ?"  These  were  the  thoughts 
that  added  to  her  sorrow,  and  vainly  the  young  mother 
turned  to  her  Bible  for  consolation.  She  could  not  unravel 
the  mystery,  she  could  only  feel  her  loss. 

Paul  Grey,  although  a  warm-hearted  man,  had  been  too 
much  accustomed  to  the  rude  chances  of  his  life  to  allow 
this  domestic  sorrow  to  oppress  him.  Two  days  ago  he  had 
carried  the  little  coffin  to  the  grave,  and  as  the  father's 
tears  fell  upon  the  spot,  so  they  were  the  last  he  shed,  and 
with  a  sailor's  curt  philosophy  he  had  consoled  himself  and 
strove  to  console  his  wife,  with  the  idea  of  "  better  luck 
next  time." 

At  this  time  Paul  was  about  twenty-eight  years  of  age, 
but  the  rough  life  of  a  sailor  had  so  bronzed  his  features 
that  he  appeared  somewhat  older ;  he  was  remarkably  hand- 


24  VAST   UP  JJY   THE  SEA. 

some,  and  considerably  above  the  middle  height,  but  his 
herculean  width  of  shoulders  reduced  his  appearance  to 
that  of  a  man  of  five  feet  ten.  When  the  heart  of  Mary 
Dale  was  won,  and  she  became  Polly  Grey,  Paul  had  not 
only  put  his  cottage  in  order  to  receive  his  young  bride,  but 
he  had  also  invested  the  whole  of  his  ready  cash,  and  had 
even  borrowed  money,  to  complete  the  new  lugger  which 
now  lay  anchored  in  the  bay.  This  vessel  was  the  darling 
of  his  heart,  and  next  to  his  wife  it  shared  his  affection ; 
therefore  the  new  boat  had  been  christened  the  Polly,  un 
der  which  beloved  name  it  formed  a  member  of  the  family. 
There  was  no  smarter  craft  on  the  Cornish  coast;  neither 
was  there  a  better  or  more  lovely  wife  than  Polly  Grey. 

Now  although  the  Polly  had  been  afloat  no  longer  than 
a  year,  she  had  already  gained  a  great  reputation ;  but  min 
gled  with  the  reports  of  her  good  qualities  as  a  sea-boat, 
there  were  vague  rumors  that  were  connected  with  her  mys 
terious  disappearance  and  rapid  return  voyages  which  raised 
the  suspicions  of  the  coast-guard ;  and  in  the  public  houses 
of  the  neighboring  village,  about  five  miles  distant,  it  was 
more  than  insinuated  by  jealous  fishermen  that  the  Polly 
was  a  smuggler,  and  no  trawler.  At  the  time  that  I  describe 
the  occupation  of  wrecking  or  of  plundering  the  cargo  of 
vessels  that  had  perished  on  the  coast  was  by  no  means 
considered  unworthy  of  the  Cornish  fishermen;  and  in 
those  days  smuggling  was  regarded  in  no  unfavorable  light 
by  the  amphibious  inhabitants  of  the  southern  shore,  but 
the  profession  was  considered  more  honorable  than  other 
wise,  provided  that  it  could  be  prosecuted  without  discov 
ery  ;  even  should  the  smuggler  be  apprehended  by  the  au 
thorities,  the  sympathy  of  the  coast  inhabitants  sided  with 
the  offender.  Certainly  the  fishermen  of  Sandy  Cqve  de 
served  the  reputation  that  had  been  earned  by  successful 
enterprise  both  in  wrecking  and  in  contraband  adventures, 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  25 

but  how  far  Paul  Grey  was  connected  personally  with  such 
acts  was  a  matter  of  simple  suspicion.  The  Polly  belong 
ed  to  him,  but  the  crew  of  the  vessel  were  natives  of  Sandy 
Cove ;  and  such  was  his  influence,  and  the  general  respect  in 
which  he  was  held,  that  few  of  the  revenue  officers  would 
have  ventured  to  insult  his  dwelling  by  a  visit  of  search. 
It  was  currently  reported  that  even  among  .the  coast-guard 
Paul  had  friends  who  closed  their  eyes  to  the  voyages  of  the 
Polly.  The  station  was  about  six  miles  distant,  and  the 
detachment  was  commanded  by  an  old  school -fellow  of 
Paul's,  a  lieutenant  in  the  navy,  who  had  lost  his  left  arm 
in  an  action  with  a  French  frigate.  This  man,  who  was 
known  as  Captain  Smart,  had  been  an  unsuccessful  admirer 
of  Mary  Dale,  now  Polly  Grey ;  but  as  an  old  and  honora 
ble  friend  of  his  more  fortunate  rival,  he  had  advanced 
Paul  the  sum  required  for  the  completion  of  the  Polly, 
with  no  other  security  than  his  note  of  hand  for  £200.  This 
was  a  private  affair,  only  known  to  the  parties  concerned, 
and  the  visits  of  Captain  Smart  to  the  neat  white  cottage 
of  Sandy  Cove  were  equivalent  to  a  certificate  of  Paul 
Grey's  character.  In  fact,  Captain  Smart,  or  Joe  Smart,  as 
Paul  familiarly  called  his  old  school-fellow,  was  a  true  friend ; 
and  although  his  honest  heart  had,  as  he  described  it, 
"  struck  hard  and  well-nigh  gone  to  pieces  "  when  Mary  Dale 
refused  him,  he  consoled  himself  with  the  fact  that  she 
loved  his  old  friend  Paul,  who  had  two  arms  while  he  had 
only  one.  Joe  Smart  was  well  to  do  in  the  world ;  he  had 
a  permanent  appointment  in  addition  to  a  comfortable  in 
dependence  left  him  by  his,  father  ;  but  he  had  made  up  his 
mind  since  his  first  disappointment  never  to  love  again. 
He  was  an  active,  resolute-looking  sailor,  with  a  peculiar 
ly  open  ^xpression.  He  was  about  two  years  older  than 
Paul,  and  on  the  day  that  had  just  closed  he  had  been 
down  to  Sandy  Cove  to  ask  after  the  "little  sailor,"  as 

B 


26  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

he  termed  Paul's  child,  to  whom  he  was  to  have  been  god 
father  ;  he  had  then  heard  the  mournful  news,  and,  seeing 
the  distress  of  the  young  mother,  he  had  simply  pressed 
her  hand  in  sympathy,  and  had  hurried  back  to  the  coast 
guard  station,  feeling  almost  as  much  as  though  the  loss 
were  his  own. 

The  old  wooden  clock  had  just  struck  ten  when  Paul's 
rough  attempt  at  comfort  was  addressed  to  Polly  Grey. 
They  were  now  sitting  at  the  table,  his  arm  around  her 
waist;  while,  as  her  head  rested  upon  his  shoulder,  he  ten 
derly  wiped  the  tears  from  her  large  blue  eyes,  and  warmly 
kissed  her  forehead.  At  this  moment  there  was  a  hurried 
tup  at  the  window. 

"  What's  that  ?"  said  Polly.    ' : .  . 

"  Only  a  bird  that  has  flown  against  the  glass  attracted 
by  the  light,"  said  Paul ;  but  several  taps  in  quick  succes 
sion  drew  their  attention  to  the  window,  against  which  was 
pressing  the  hideous  face  of  the  old  hag  who  had  been  seat 
ed  as  sentry  upon  the  terrace-wall ;  her  thin  nose  was  flat 
tened  against  the  glass,  and  an  expression  of  fierce  excite 
ment  increased  the  horror  of  her  appearance.  -• 

"  Come  out,"  cried  the  old  woman ;  "  there's  work  to 
night.  D'ye  hear  the  bell  ?" 

"  What  is  it,  mother  ?"  said  Paul.  "  It's  coming  on  to 
blow,  I  know,  but  the  Polly's  all  snug ;  she's  got  two  an 
chors  down,  and  she  won't  hurt  in  the  cove." 

In  another  instant  the  face  disappeared  from  the  win 
dow,  and  the  door  opening  from  without,  the  old  woman 
hobbled  into  the  room. 

"  Such  a  night  I  never  saw,"  said  she ;  "  it's  black  as 
pitch,  and  thick  fog  on  the  sea,  and  not  a  breath  of  wind 
except  above,  where  it's  moaning  like  a  dying  man.  It's 
the  last  night  for  many,  but  a  good  night  for  some.  I 
heard  the  bell !" 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  27 

"  What  bell,  Mother  Lee  ?"  inquired  Polly  Grey ;  "  you 
couldn't  hear  the  church-bell  under  the  cliff." 

"Ha,  ha!  the  church-bell!"  replied  the  old  woman; 
"  very  good,  very  good  !  The  church-bell !  It's  tolling  for 
the  dead  before  they  die — the  church  is  at  sea,  and  the  bell's 
tolling  in  the  fog — the  fog-bell's  tolling,  and  the  ship's  coin 
ing  on  the  shore.  It's  a  good  night  for  some ;  the  tide's 
running  in.  Out  with  yer,  Paul,  and  get  the  first  pick 
ings !" 

Mother  Lee,  as  the  old  hag  was  called,  was  the  widow  of 
a  certain  Stephen  Lee,  who  had  been  hanged  about  fifty 
years  before  for  piracy.  Report  said  that  the  old  woman 
had  deserved  the  same  fate ;  but  it  was  certain  that  so  long 
as  the  oldest  inhabitant  could  remember  Sandy  Cove  she 
had  been  the  evil  genius  of  the  spot.  Half-prophetess  and 
fortune-teller,  always  promoting  evil,  she  had  so  worked 
upon  the  superstitions  of  the  people  that  she  was  considered 
to  possess  more  than  human  power,  and  to  be  capable  of 
producing  mischief  and  calamities  through  spiritual  agency. 
Thus  Mother  Lee  subsisted  upon  charity ;  she  lived  in  an 
old  inverted  boat,  and  gathered  fuel  for  the  winter  from  the 
pieces  of  wreck  upon  the  shore.  Clothes  she  had  none,  ex 
cept  those  cast  off  by  both  sexes ;  these  she  adopted  with 
out  choice,  and  she  usually  appeared  in  a  hybrid  attire  of 
male  and  female.  From  long  practice  she  had  become  so 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  tide,  currents,  weather,  and 
other  local  phenomena,  that  the  superstitious  fishermen  of 
Sandy  Cove  thoroughly  believed  in  her  prophecies,  and 
even  accredited  her  with  the  power  of  raising  a  storm  and 
of  drawing  a  vessel  upon  the  coast.  As  the  wreck  of  a 
ship  was  considered  a  blessing  to  the  neighborhood,  Mother 
Lee  was  an  important  person  in  Sandy  Cove,  and  although 
feared,  and  certainly  not  loved,  she  was  never  -refused  a  re 
quest.  The  only  person  who  disbelieved  in  Mother  Lee 


28  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

was  Polly  Grey.  This  had  reached  the  old  woman's  ears, 
and  curses  that  she  had  muttered  in  the  village  against  the 
young  mother  were  quickly  succeeded  by  the  fading  away 
and  death  of  the  child.  This  fact  was  generally  accepted 
as  a  proof  of  witchcraft. 

As  has  been  already  mentioned,  Paul  Grey's  garden  was 
the  best  spot  for  a  lookout,  as  commanding  the  entire  sea 
view ;  thus,  to  the  intense  dislike  of  Polly  Grey,  old  Mother 
Lee  would  take  her  seat  like  a  vulture  for  hours  together 
upon  the  terrace-wall,  undismayed  by  the  precipice  of  two 
hundred  feet  that  sank  sheer  below  her  to  the  beach. 

There  was  something  horrible  in  the  delight  that  the 
old  hag  exhibited  in  the  approaching  calamity.  Paul  knew 
that  she  was  to  be  trusted ;  and,  rising  from  his  seat,  he 
whispered  to  his  wife,  who  clung  to  his  arm  as.  though 
spell-bound  by  the  fixed  look  of  the  old  woman,  and,  accom 
panied  by  Mother  Lee,  he  opened  the  door  to  look  at  the 
night.  In  the  same  moment  a  sudden  puff  of  wind  extin 
guished  the  candle,  and  Polly  Grey,  left  in  the  dark,  felt 
chilled  to  the  bone  as  she  heard  the  coarse  chuckle  of  the 
old  woman,  as  she  muttered  on  the  threshold, "  There's  luck 
from  the  sou'-west.  There's  the  bell  in  the  fog !" 

Mother  Lee  was  right.  Hardly  had  Paul  quitted  the 
house  than  the  puff  of  wind  that  had  extinguished  the  light 
was  succeeded  by  a  momentary  but  violent  gust.  Almost 
at  the  same  instant  a  distant  flash  of  lightning  shone  hazily 
through  the  foggy  darkness.  The  old  woman  had  vanished. 
Presently  a  low  roll  of  thunder  was  heard,  and  again  a  vio 
lent  gust  of  cold  air  swept  along  the  cliffs  direct  from  the 
sea.  This  was  succeeded  by  a  few  moments  of  dead  calm, 
in  which  Paul  started  as  the  distant  sound  of  a  bell  struck 
distinctly  upon  his  ear.  The  bell  was  on  the  sea.  There 
could  be  no  doubt  that  some  vessel,  obscured  in  the  fog, 
had  been  carried  out  of  her  course  by  the  strong  current 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  29 

that  set  toward  a  rocky  point  within  half  a  mile  of  Sandy 
Cove,  which,  stretching  far  into  the  sea,  formed  a  bluff  cliff, 
against  which  many  a  good  ship  had  gone  to  pieces.  The 
fog-bell  was  repeatedly  sounded,  and,  as  the  breeze  came  di 
rectly  toward  the  land,  it  could  be  heard  from  a  great  dis 
tance.  Paul  had  concluded  that  the  vessel  was  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  shore ;  in  which  case  her  position  was  one 
of  great  danger,  as  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  a  severe 
tempest  was  about  to  commence  from  the  south-west,  which 
would  infallibly  drive  her  upon  this  dangerous  coast.  There 
was  not  much  time  for  consideration,  for  the  few  heavy 
gusts,  that  had  been  succeeded  at  intervals  by  unnatural 
calms,  were  suddenly  followed  by  a  terrific  squall,  that  blew 
the  sand  and  small  pebbles  clattering  against  the  windows, 
which  were  now  once  more  illumined  by  Polly  Grey's  re 
kindled  light.  A  long  roll  of  thunder  sounded  like  heavy 
artillery  in  the  distance,  but  the  roar  of  the  wind,  and  the 
angry  rumble  of  the  waves  upon  the  rocky  beach,  had  so 
much  increased  that  all  other  sounds  were  deadened. 

Paul  entered  his  cottage,  and  quickly  closed  the  door. 
His  wife  had  been  anxiously  awaiting  his  return. 

"Where  is  that  dreadful  old  woman?"  asked  Polly. 
"  Although  I  believe  in  nothing  but  her  wickedness,  and  de 
spise  the  superstitions  connected  with  her,  I  can  not  help 
my  blood  freezing  when  she  glares  upon  me  as  she  did  to 
night." 

"  She's  gone,"  said  Paul.  "  I  don't  know  where,  if  she's 
not  blown  over  the  cliff  by  the  squall  that  nearly  took  me 
off  my  legs.  But  the  old  woman's  right,  Polly.  There's  a 
vessel  in  the  fog  not  far  from  shore,  and  nothing  but  a  mir 
acle  can  save  her  in  the  gale  that's  noAV  driving  dead  upon 
the  coast." 

"  How  dreadful !"  replied  the  kind-hearted  wife.  "  What 
can  we  do  to  save  her,  Paul?  Think  of  the  poor  creatures, 


00  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

if  wrecked  upon  this  horrible  shore  !  What  if  we  light  a 
fire  upon  the  cliff  to  give  them  warning  ?  There  may  yet 
be  hope  !" 

Polly  Grey  had  never  been  at  Sandy  Cove  on  the  hap 
py  occasion  of  a  shipwreck,  and  she  little  knew  the  feelings 
of  the  villagers  in  a  moment  of  such  excitement ;  even  Paul 
from  long  experience  had  ceased  to  regard  a  wreck  with 
the  sympathy  that  such  a  calamity  should  awaken,  but  he 
accepted  it  as  a  natural  consequence  upon  bad  seamanship 
that  ought  to  have  been  avoided. 

"  You  can't  save  her,  Polly  ;  and  the  people  of  the  Cove 
wouldn't  thank  you  if  you  could.  It  isn't  often  that  they 
get  a  good  turn,  but  they  count  a  wreck  as  good  luck  to 
the  Cove  if  it's  bad  luck  to  the  ship.  But  there's  no  harm 
in  lighting  a  fire,"  continued  Paul ;  "  it  may  give  her  a 
chance.  So  help  me  while  I  roll  out  an  old  tar-barrel  that 
lies  in  the  shed.  You  get  an  armful  of  shavings,  Polly,  and 
we'll  soon  have  a  blaze." 

In  a  few  minutes  Paul  had  rolled  a  large  tar-barrel  to 
the  front  of  the  cottage,  and  with  his  wife's  assistance  he 
had  crammed  it  full  of  straw  and  shavings.  "  Don't  go  too 
near  the  cliff,  Polly,"  said  Paul,  as  the  tremendous  force  of 
the  gale  nearly  lifted  her  off  her  feet.  "  Sit  down  on  that 
stone  by  the  window,  while  I  get  some  fire ;"  and  he  quick 
ly  returned  from  the  cottage  kitchen  with  a  couple  of  blaz 
ing  sticks  that  he  had  taken  from  the  hearth.  These  he 
thrust  into  the  interior  of  the  barrel,  and  in  an  instant  the 
strong  breeze  ignited  the  inflammable  material,  and  the 
flames  wrapped  around  the  mouth.  In  a  few  minutes  the 
fire  flared  to  a  great  height,  and  brightly  illumined  the 
white  cottage  and  the  high  cliff  behind.  Paul  brought 
fresh  fuel  in  the  shape  of  old  staves  and  pieces  of  broken 
boats,  which,  being  thickly  coated  with  pitch,  created  an  in 
tense  light. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  31 

"They'll  see  that,  anyhow,"  said  Paul;  "  if  the 'fog  will 
only  lift.  It  can't  last  long  in  this  gale." 

These  words  were  hardly  uttered  when  a  bright  flash 
at  sea  was  shortly  followed  by  the  heavy  boom  of  a  can 
non. 

"  They've  seen  the  fire,"  said  Polly.  "  Please  God,  they 
are  safe  !" 

Another  gun  now  sounded  from  the  same  quarter. 

"They  are  driving  on  the  rocks,"  said  Paul;  "those 
guns  are  signals  of  distress.  Our'  fire  has  given  them 
the  warning  of  the  coast.  There's  no  hope  except  in  their 
cables  and  anchors  !" 

At  that  moment  the  fog  rose  like  a  curtain,  and  the  moon 
that  had  been  obscured  shone  brightly  between  the  dark 
clouds  that  hurried  rapidly  across  her.  The  scene  was  at 
once  changed,  and,  the  mist  having  dissolved,  there  was  no 
longer  any  doubt  of  the  position.  A  fine  full-rigged  ship 
was  close-hauled  to  the  wind  with  double-reefed  topsails, 
and  was  endeavoring  to  clear  the  coast.  No  sooner,  how 
ever,  had  the  fog  lifted  than  those  on  board  at  once  per 
ceived  their  hopeless  situation  as  the  bright  fire  showed 
them  their  true  distance  from  the  shore ;  accordingly  with 
great  alacrity  two  anchors  were  let  drop,  and,  the  ship 
swinging  head  to  wind,  the  sails  were  quickly  taken  in,  and 
the  cables  were  veered  out  to  their  full  extent.  During 
this  time  the  storm  had  frightfully  increased ;  the  sea  was 
white  with  the  crests  of  angry  breakers,  which  dashed  with 
such  violence  against  the  rocks  that  the  roar  of  water  and 
rolling  shingle  almost  equalled  the  thunder  that  reverber 
ated  overhead.  The  ship  was  now  the  plaything  of.  the 
waves.  Tremendous  rollers  came  surging  toward  the  bay, 
threatening  to  beat  down  the  noble  vessel  beneath  their  fall 
ing  crests  ;  but  she  gallantly  rose  to  each  breaker,  and,  al 
though  the  seas  swept  across  her  decks,  she  always  recov- 


32  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ered  herself  in  time  to  withstand  the  shock  of  the  succeed 
ing  wave. 

The  gale  had  increased  to  a  hurricane,  and,  as  the  enor 
mous  waves  dashed  against  the  perpendicular  cliffs,  the 
spray  flew  a  hundred  feet  above  the  sea  level.  The  night 
was  wearing  away ;  it  was  about  two  A.M.  ;  and  Paul  and 
his  wife  had  been  watching  the  exciting  scene,  and  keeping 
up  the  fire  until  the  fuel  was  well-nigh  exhausted.  "  Go  to 
bed,  Polly  !"  he  exclaimed.  "  Nothing  can  be  done.  If  she 
can  hold  on  till  morning  the  storm  may  moderate,  or  per 
haps  the  wind  may  change,  and  if  so  there  may  be  a  chance 
of  safety." 

The  fire  had  burned  low,  and,  as  Paul  spoke,  a  shadow 
flitted  upon  the  cottage-wall,  and  the  low  chuckle  of  Mother 
Lee  was  heard,  as  she  approached  the  fire,  and  warmed  her 
skinny  hands. 

"  Ha,  ha  !"  she  muttered  ;  "  the  luck  comes  from  the  sou'- 
west.  There's  no  hempen  cable  that'll  stand  a  Cornish 
rock.  She'll  cut  before  the  morning.  Get  to  bed  with 
yer  !"  cried  the  old  hag ;  "  and  wake  fresh  for  the  pickings. 
There'll  be  work  for  all  hands  before  sunrise." 

Horror-struck  at  the  cold-blooded  prophecy  of  Mother 
Lee,  and  glad  to  escape  from  her  presence,  Polly  retired  to 
the  cottage,  and  throwing  herself,  without  undressing,  upon 
the  bed,  in  spite  of  her  anxiety  she  fell  into  a  sound  sleep, 
thoroughly  tired  out  with  watching.  Paul  would  not  sleep, 
but  busied  himself  with  preparing  ropes  for  the  expected 
emergency.  In  the  mean  time  Mother  Lee  scraped  togeth 
er  the  hot  embers,  and  arranged  the  few  unburned  pieces 
that  remained  to  restore  the  fire,  over  which  the  old  woman 
crouched,  apparently  without  heeding  the  hurricane,  which 
at  every  gust  swept  showers  of  sparks  against  the  cottage- 
wall. 

There  were  many  watchers  that  night  in  Sandy  Cove, 


CAST    UP  BY    THE  SEA.  33 

who  had  been  aroused  by  Mother  Lee,  who  had  gone  her 
rounds  to  the  various  cottages  and  prophesied  "luck  from 
the  sou'-west." 

It  was  about  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  Paul,  hav 
ing  first  completed  his  Coils  of  lines,  had  slept  for  an  hour, 
when  he  was  awakened  by  a  sharp  knocking  at  the  door. 
In  another  instant  it  opened,  and  Mother  Lee  entered  the 
room.  "  Get  up  with  you  !  get  up  !"  she  cried  ;  "  one  ca 
ble's  cut,  and  a  mast  has  just  gone  overboard ;  she  won't 
last  long !" 

Paul  hurried  out,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  who  had 
hastily  thrown  ner  cloak  across  her  shoulders,  for  the  morn 
ing  was  cold  and  raw.  "  God  help  them  !"  exclaimed  the 
kind-hearted  Polly  as  she  first  looked  upon  the  terrible 
scene.  The  storm  was,  if  possible,  more  intense  than  before ; 
the  ship  had  changed  her  position  during  the  night,  and  had 
apparently  dragged  her  anchors ;  she  was  now  lying  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  coast,  exactly  opposite  the  entrance  to 
the  little  bay  of  Sandy  Cove,  which,  not  being  above  fifty 
yards  in  width,  was  unseen  and  unknown  by  the  crew  of  the 
vessel.  As  Mother  Lee  had  already  made  known,  the  rocks 
had  chafed  through  one  of  the  hempen  cables,  the  slack  end 
of  which  now  hung  loosely  in  the  water,  while  the  remain 
ing  cable  was  as  tight  as  an  iron  bar  whenever  a  tremendous 
wave  struck  the  bows  of  the  ship.  In  those  days  chain  ca 
bles  were  very  rare,  and  many  a  vessel  and  crew  would  have 
been  saved  from  destruction  had  they  been  provided  as  now 
with  the  faithful  metal.  When  anchored  among  sharp- 
edged  rocks  it  was  next  to  impossible  that  a  hempen  rope 
should  escape  the  friction.  One  rope,  as  we  have  seen,  had 
just  parted,  therefore  the  ship  swung  by  a  single  cable  in  a 
storm  that  rendered  her  position  hopeless.  She  appeared 
to  be  an  Indiamau  of  about  1200  tons.  The  mizen-mast 
had  been  carried  away  a  few  feet  above  the  deck,  and  the 

B  2 


:U  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

crew  were  actively  employed  in  catting  away  the  mainmast 
to  lighten  the  ship,  and  to  lessen  the  strain  upon  the  anchor. 

The  natural  feeling  of  the  sailor  now  burst  from  Paul. 
"Fools  !"  he  exclaimed,  as  he  stamped  his  foot  upon  the 
ground,  and  gesticulated  vainly  to  the  fated  vessel ;  "  up 
with  the  jib !  Slip  the  cable,  and  bring  her  head  to  the 
shore !  Loose  the  foresail,  and  run  for  the  mouth  of  the 
bay !"  Alas  !  they  knew  nothing  of  the  coast,  neither  could 
they  distinguish  the  narrow  entrance  in  the  midst  of  spray 
and  white-headed  breakers  that  burst  upon  the  rocks. 
Even  the  little  bay,  usually  so  calm,  was  now  a  heavy  sea, 
as  every  wave,  although  broken  in  its  force,  swept  through 
the  gap  and  rolled  heavily  upon  the  beach.  The  Polly  rode 
safely  at  anchor,  with  a  long  cable,  and  although  every  now 
and  then  the  surf  broke  over  the  forecastle,  her  hatchways 
were  secured,  and  there  was  nothing  to  fear  in  Sandy  Cove 
for  so  good  a  vessel. 

The  Indiaman  was,  as  usual  with  that  fine  class  of  ves 
sel,  exceedingly  well-manned  ;  and  had  the  crew  been  aware 
of  the  little  harbor  that  lay  concealed  so  near^them,  there 
would  have  been  no  difficulty,  with  good  seamanship,  in 
running  in  and  beaching  the  ship  upon  Sandy  Cove.  How 
ever,  there  was  no  means  of  communicating  with  the  doom 
ed  vessel ;  and  although  a  harbor  of  refuge  was  actually  at 
hand,  the  axes  were  plied  at  both  the  remaining  masts,  whicli 
presently  fell  by  the  board. 

Paul  was  watching  these  operations  with  a  telescope,  and 
explaining  to  his  eager  wife  all  that  passed  upon  the  deck. 
"  They  are  making  a  raft  with  spars,"  said  he ;  "  but  it  will 
be  of  little  use  among  those  breakers."  After  a  little  pause 
he  continued,  "  Poor  things  !  There  are  women  and  chil 
dren  on  board,  all  clinging  to  each  other  on  the  poop-deck." 

"  Oh  Paul,  dear  Paul,  can  we  do  nothing  to  help  them  ?" 
cried  his  wife,  in  intense  excitement.  "  How  dreadful  for 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  35 

the  poor  children  and  mothers  !"  At  this  moment  her  own 
recent  loss  awakened  in  her  heart  a  deep  sympathy  for  those 
who  were  shortly  to  part  forever,  even  before  her  eyes. 

Suddenly  Paul  lowered  the  telescope.  "  The  cable's  part 
ed  !"  he  shouted  ;  "  they're  lost !" 

At  that  moment  the  ship,  that  had  hitherto  been  lying 
with  her  stern  toward,  the  shore  and  her  head  direct  to  the 
wind,  leaping  over  the  opposing  waves,  although  almost 
buried  in  surf  and  spray,  suddenly  altered  her  position,  and 
her  head  turning  slowly  away  from  the  gale,  she  fell  into 
the  trough  of  the  sea  with  her  broadside  to  the  wind.  A 
tremendous  wave  with  curling  crest  came  towering  toward 
her,  and,  hardly  rising  to  meet  the  shock,  the  ship  merely 
heeled  over,  and  the  terrific  wave  swept  clean  across  her 
decks.  For  an  instant  nothing  was  visible  but  a  confused 
mass  of  foam  and  spray,  with  a  dark  object  in  the  centre ; 
but  in  a  few  seconds  the  hull  again  appeared.  The  decks 
that  had  been  thronged  with  people  were  nearly  empty; 
only  a  few  of  the  strongest  men  remained  hanging  on  to 
any  rope  that  offered  a  secure  hold.  Another  sea  struck 
her,  and  once  more  the  powerless  hulk  lay  buried  Again 
she  righted,  and  still  fewer  people  remained  upon  her  decks ; 
she  now  rolled  helplessly  on,  buried  by  every  sea,  and  nearly 
turning  bottom  upward  as  each  successive  wave  struck  her. 
The  current  set  rather  away  from  the  entrance  to  Sandy 
Cove,  but  the  wind  being  dead  on  shore  she  would  evident 
ly  strike  a  little  on  the  left  of  the  mouth. 

"  She'll  strike  on  the  Iron  Rock  before  she  reaches  the 
shore,"  said  Paul. 

This  was  a  black  mass  that  only  now  and  then  reared  its 
threatening  form  above  the  surface,  about  three  hundred 
yards  from  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  over  which  the  break 
ers  dashed  in  a  tremendous  surf.  As  Paul  foretold,  the 
vessel  was  evidcntlv  bein«;  driven  direetlv  against  this  rock. 


36  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

Again  Paul  searched  the  wreck  with  his  telescope ;  she 
was  now  within  a  short  distance  of  the  fatal  rock.  "  They're 
lowering  a  boat,"  said  Paul;  " some  women  have  just  come 
on  deck  from  the  cabin.  Well  done  !  the  boat's  lowered, 
and  they  are  getting  the  women  down,  Off  she  goes  ! 
That's  right :  now  pull  hard  for  the  mouth  of  the  Cove ! 
Keep  her  straight ! — here  comes  a  breaker ! — sit  close  to 
gether  in  the  stern  !  Ha  !  what's  that  ?  the  tiller  broken  ? 
My  God  !  she's  over  !" 

A  raging  breaker  burst  directly  over  the  boat,  and  after 
rolling  over  several  times  she  disappeared.  Polly  sobbed 
aloud. 

In  the  mean  while  the  once  noble  ship,  sometimes  lifted 
upon  a  wave,  sometimes  half  buried  in  the  surf,  rolled 
heavily  toward  the  Iron  Rock.  At  length  a  wave  higher 
than  the  rest  bore  her  forward  with  resistless  power,  and 
raising  her  far  above  the  general  level,  it  appeared  to  drop 
her  bodily  upon  the  rock,  the  crash  of  the  collision  being 
distinctly  heard  on  shore.  She  remained  fast,  lying  athwart- 
ship,  and  in  another  instant  a  wave  burst  against  her  as 
though  she  had  been  a  portion  of  the  cliff,  and  the  spray 
flew  high  in  the  air,  while  the  sea  rolled  completely  across 
her  decks. 

"  She  can't  stand  that  for  half  an  hour,"  said  Paul. 
"  Stay  here,  Polly ;  or  better  go  in-doors  ;  she'll  break  up 
directly,  and  there's  no  soul  living  on  her  now." 

But  Polly  could  not  quit  the  dreadful  scene,  and  as  Paul 
now  descended  from  the  cottage  to  the  beach  below  by  a  zig 
zag  path,  she  accompanied  him  to  the  bottom  of  the  Sandy 
Cove.  Here  all  the  fishermen  had  congregated  with  their 
wives  and  children,  intent  upon  the  plunder  that  the  cargo 
would  afford  whenever  the  wreck  should  break  up  and  the 
prize  would  be  washed  on  shore.  In  such  a  storm  it  wtis 
impossible  to  descend  the  cliffs,  as  the  waves  beat  against 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  37 

the  face ;  when  the  storm  should  abate,  at  low  tide,  there 
would  be  a  narrow  beach  at  the  base  of  the  precipice,  upon 
which  the  cargo  would  be  washed  on  shore,  if  not  previ 
ously  destroyed  by  being  beaten  against  the  rocks ;  but  they 
now  all  waited  in  expectation  that  some  portion  of  the  spoil 
might  be  washed  upon  the  shelving  beach  in  Sandy  Cove  by 
the  narrow  entrance,  especially  as  the  vessel  had  grounded 
at  no  great  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the  bay,  where  she 
now  lay  within  view  of  the  village. 

For  about  an  hour  the  hull  of  the  vessel  withstood  the 
fury  of  the  sea,  which  dashed  against  her  with  irresistible 
force ;  but  as  each  wave  retired  large  volumes  of  water 
poured  in  cascades  from  her  opened  timbers,  showing  that 
she  could  not  much  longer  hold  together.  At  length  the 
entire  deck  floated  off  the  poop  as  a  heavy  wave  broke  full 
upon  her ;  a  short  time  afterward  the  stern  rose  bodily  to 
an  advancing  breaker,  and  as  the  sea  rushed  over  her  it 
separated  and  disappeared,  leaving  only  the  forepart  of  the 
vessel  fixed  upon  the  rocks ;  froni  that  moment  the  waves 
became  enriched  with  the  cargo,  which  was  to  be  seen 
floating  in  the  surf  in  all  directions  in  the  shape  of  bales, 
cases,  tea-chests,  barrels,  and  packages  of  all  descriptions. 
This  was  the  signal  for  a  general  cheer  from  the  wreckers 
and  their  families  who  now  thronged  the  shore.  A  few 
minutes  later  a  couple  of  large  casks  were  seen  at  the  en 
trance  of  the  Cove,  which,  lifted  by  a  rolling  wave,  were 
driven  directly  into  the  harbor ;  they  were  apparently  lash 
ed  together.  There  was  a  general  rush  forward  on  the 
part  of  the  people  who  lined  the  beach  in  their  eagerness 
to  secure  the  prize.  Among  the  men  who  dashed  into  the 
surf  were,  some  of  the  most  desperate  wreckers  of  the  coast; 
but  the  force  of  the  breakers  was  so  great  that  they  were 
not  only  beaten  down  by  the  curl  of  the  waves,  but  they 
were  dragged  back  by  the  under-tow,  and  only  regained 


;38  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

the  shore  by  the  assistance  of  the  crowd  who,  with  joined 
hands,  formed  a  line,,  and  were  thus  enabled  to  resist  the 
rush  of  water.  There  was  only  one  man  who  had  been 
able  to  force  his  way  through  the  breakers  and  swim  out 
to  the  floating  barrels ;  this  was  Paul  Grey,  who  had  thrown 
off  his  coat  and  boots,  and,  with  a  coil  of  thin  line  across 
his  broad  shoulders,  now  struck  out  manfully  through  the 
rough  sea;  sometimes  he  was  for  the  moment  buried  in 
the  broken  waves,  at  others  he  would  dive  through  the  ad 
vancing  wall  of  water  just  as  it  curled  above  his  head  and 
threatened  to  beat  him  down,  ."  Bravo,  Paul !"  shouted 
many  voices,  especially  those  of  women,  who  were  standing 
on  the  beach  ;  "  he'll  have  it  now  !"  "  There's  good  spirits 
in  those  casks,  or  they  wouldn't  swim  so  light !"  said  a 
grim-looking  ruffian,  who  had  just  failed  in  his  attempt  to 
swim  through  the  surf.  "  Paul's  the  cat's-paw,  but  we'll 
cry  halves  when  it  comes  ashore."  "He  can't  drag  the 
casks  ashore,"  said  another  fellow ;  "  we  must  all  give  a  hand 
and  share  the  profit."  "  He's  got  it  now  !"  shouted  many 
voices,  as  Paul,  having  reached  the  barrels,  dexterously  fast 
ened  a  hook  that  was  attached  to  his  line,  and  turning  to 
ward  the  shore,  having  thrown  off  the  coil  while  he  held 
the  end  of  the  rope  in  his  teeth,  he  swam  vigorously  for  the 
beach. 

There  was  one  heart  that  beat  with  pride  as  the  power 
ful  form  of  Paul  Grey  struggled  bravely  with  the  surf  that 
had  beaten  back  all  others,  and  Polly  clapped  her  hands 
with  enthusiasm,  and  headed  the  crowd  to  dash  into  the 
water  to  help  her  husband  when  he  gained  his  footing  on 
the  rolling  shingles.  Her  hair  had  blown  from  its  fasten 
ing,  and  now  flowed  in  long  waves  driven  by  the  wind  in 
wild  confusion,  while  the  excitement  of  the  moment  had 
flushed  her  cheek,  and  added  a  fire  to  her  large  eyes  that 
rendered  her  perfectly  beautiful,  and  as  Paul  pressed  her 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  39 

hand  when  he  landed  dripping  from  the  sea,  he  thought  he 
had  never  seen  his  Polly  look  so  lovely. 

"  It  shall  belong  to  you,  Polly,  whatever  it  may  be  !"  said 
Paul.  "  It's  my  prize,  and  you  shall  have  it." 

"  Halves  !"  cried  the  surly  ruffian  who  had  already  spok 
en  in  the  crowd ;  and  one  and  all,  seizing  the  line,  began  to 
haul  the  barrels  toward  the  beach. 

"  Avast  hauling  !"  cried  Paul,  as  he  pushed  two  or  three 
men  on  one  side  as  though  they  were  children.  "  The  line 
is  mine,  and  you  sha'n't  break  it  when  I've  had  the  trouble 
of  the  job."  He  then  carefully  drew  in  the  rope,  hand  over 
hand,  until  the  barrels  approached  the  surf ;  in  an  instant, 
as  a  broken  wave  hurried  them  toward  the  beach,  a  dozen 
men  rushed  into  the  water  and  dragged  them  to  the  shore. 

Hardly  had  they  pulled  the  barrels  high  and  dry  than 
they  surveyed  them  with  an  air  of  disappointment.  "  They're 
empty !"  was  the  general  exclamation. 

This  was  evident.  Two  empty  rum  puncheons  that 
would  contain  ninety  gallons  each  were  firmly  lashed  par 
allel  together  by  means  of  broken  oars  that  formed  a  frame 
work,  in  which  the  casks  were  beautifully  secured.  At  one 
end  was  a  strong  rope  that  had  apparently  been  arranged 
for  the  support  of  some  person  who  should  have  clung  to 
the  raft :  to  this  rope  some  long  fair  hair  was  attached  as 
though  it  had  become  entangled  with  the  hands  that  had 
vainly  attempted  to  keep  their  hold.  On  the  top  of  the 
buoyant  raft,  and  well  secured  in  the  centre  between  the 
two  casks,  was  a  box  covered  with  a  piece  of  tarpaulin  that 
had  been  fastened  down  with  nails  to  the  side  in  order  to 
preserve  the  contents  dry.  Some  treasure  of  importance 
was  evidently  well  secured. 

"Halves  again  !"  shouted  the  first  ruffian,  as  he  rudely 
pushed  Polly  on  one  side  and  grasped  the  box  with  both 
hands  ;  at  the  same  time  he  staggered  and  rolled  upon  the 


40  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

shingle  as  Paul's  fist  descended  full  upon  the  side  of  his 
head. 

"  Now,  my  lads,  fair  play,"  said  Paul.  "  The  prize  be 
longs  to  me,  and  I  don't  mind  sharing  a  portion  after  I 
know  what  it  is.  But  hands  off  till  Polly  takes  her 
share  !" 

Paul  was  a  match  for  any  two  men  in  the  village ;  and 
as  none  could  contest  in  the  present  case  either  his  strength 
or  his  argument,  the  crowd  immediately  agreed,  and  stand 
ing  around  the  mysterious  prize  they  watched  with  much 
curiosity  the  opening  of  the  box.  It  was  an  old  wine-case, 
and  as  Paul  broke  off  the  nail-heads  with  a  stone,  and  re 
moved  the  tarpaulin,  a  few  bars  of  wood  beneath,  that  had 
supported  the  water-proof  cover,  were  easily  withdrawn. 
A  rich  cashmere  shawl  was  loosely  arranged  above  some 
object :  beneath  this  was  a  wrapper  of  pink  flannel.  With 
extreme  curiosity  Polly  now  removed  this  covering,  and 
started  back  with  an  exclamation  of  surprise  that  was  ech 
oed  by  the  crowd  as  the  mystery  of  the  box  was  suddenly 
revealed.  Apparently  asleep  or  dead  lay  the  body  of  an 
infant  about  two  months  old ;  around  its  neck  was  a  locket 
suspended  by  a  thin  gold  chain.  Was  it  possible  ?  Could 
a  miracle  restore  the  child  that  she  had  buried  but  a  few 
days  since  ?  It  was  the  fac-simile  of  her  own  boy,  but  pale 
as  alabaster. 

"  Is  it  dead  ?"  asked  Polly,  trembling  with  emotion  as 
she  regarded  the  motionless  figure  that  lay  before  her  like 
an  apparition  of  her  own  child. 

"  I  fear  it  is,"  said  Paul,  who  was  himself  not  unmoved 
at  the  wonderful  resemblance ;  "  but  there's  no  water  in  the 
box  ;  the  clothes  are  damp,  but  not  absolutely  wet.  It  has 
died  for  want  of  air.  I  said  the  prize  should  be  yours,  Polly ; 
so  I'll  carry  box  and  all  up  to  the  cottage,  and  we'll  see  what 
can  be  done." 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  41 

"  Luck  comes  from  the  sou'-west,  ha,  ha !"  muttered  a 
hoarse  voice  succeeded  by  a  chuckle,  and  Polly  saw  the 
wrinkled  face  of  old  Mother  Lee  peering  into  the  box ;  and 
laying  her  skinny  fingers  upon  the  chest  of  the  infant,  she 
once  more  muttered,  "Luck  comes  from  the  sou'-west; 
yer'll  get  no  other,  Polly  Grey,  except  what's  cast  up  by  the 
sea — ha,  ha !" 

"  Go,  wretched  old  woman,"  replied  Polly,  stung  by  the 
taunt ;  "  frighten  fools  who  are  worthy  of  you,  but  leave  me 
and  mine  alone." 

The  old  woman's  face  changed  to  something  devilish,  and 
scowling  upon  Polly  she  spat  upon  the  ground,  and  hoarse 
ly  croaked,  "  We'll  see,  we'll  see  !" 

"  Come  along,  Polly,"  said  Paul,  who  had  uncorded  the 
fastenings  of  the  box,  and  raised  it  upon  his  head  ;  "  don't 
quarrel  with  Mother  Lee ;  and  look  you,  mother,  if  you're 
going  to  bring  bad  luck  on  my  Polly,  I'll  heave  you  over 
the  cliff  to  feed  the  crabs  the  next  time  you  come  up  the 
hill ;  d'ye  hear  ?" 

Paul  now  left  the  crowd,  and  followed  by  his  wife  he  as 
cended  the  zigzag  path  with  his  burden,  and  quickly  reach 
ed  his  cottage  on  the  cliff.  Having  placed  the  box  gently 
on  the  floor,  Polly  took  away  the  damp  shawl  and  wrap 
pers  ;  and  covering  the  child  with  a  warm  flannel  she  held 
it  close  to  her  breast,  and  briskly  rubbed  its  back  and  spine. 
It  was  very  cold,  but  the  limbs  were  not  stiff ;  she  had  there 
fore  hope ;  and  with  the  door  and  window  opened  to  give 
fresh  air,  which  blew  violently  from  the  sea,  she  anxiously 
watched  for  some  sign  of  returning  animation.  In  a  few 
minutes  it  gasped  faintly ;  and  to  her  intense  delight  after 
an  hour's  careful  attention  she  was  rewarded  by  hearing  it 
cry  lustily.  She  now  dressed  it  in  some  clothes  that  had 
belonged  to  her  own  child,  and  pressing  it  gently  to  her 
bosom,  she  felt  a  mother's  happiness  as  it  clung  eagerly  to 


42  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

her  breast,  as  though  she  had  been  its  proper  parent.  As 
she  watched  the  lovely  infant  now  peacefully  resting  in  her 
arms  she  could  hardly  believe  in  her  recent  loss.  It  ap 
peared  as  a  dream.  Her  boy  had  been  replaced  by  another 
that  she  might  have  mistaken  for  her  own.  She  felt  bewil 
dered  ;  so  many  scenes  had  changed  in  rapid  succession 
within  the  last  few  hours  :  her  loss,  the  storm,  the  wreck, 
the  infant  now  her  child,  that  had  been  thus  mysteriously 
Cast  up  by  the  Sea. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  43 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  day  following  the  storm  was  a  harvest  for  the  peo 
ple  of  Sandy  Cove.  The  wreck  had  entirely  broken  up, 
and  not  a  vestige  of  the  ship  remained  except  the  fragments 
that,  together  with  the  cargo,  strewed  the  coast  for  miles  on 
either  side  the  bay. 

Paul  Grey  had  been  out  at  daybreak,  and  when  he  re 
turned  to  breakfast  he  found  his  wife  happier  than  he  had 
seen  her  for  many  days.  The  table  was  spread.  The  new 
ly-arrived  baby  was  snugly  asleep  in  its  cradle,  looking  as 
blooming  as  though  nothing  extraordinary  had  happened ; 
and  as  the  storm  had  passed  and  the  day  was  fine,  the  sun 
was  shining  gayly  through  the  open  window. 

When  breakfast  was  finished  Paul  took  his  telescope  and 
sat  upon  the  terrace-wall  above  the  sea.  He  had  not  been 
long  seated  before  his  attention  was  attracted  to  some  ob 
ject  floating  in  the  water  beneath,  at  no  great  distance  from 
the  shore ;  as  the  waves  gave  it  motion  sometimes  it  was 
completely  submerged,  while  at  others  a  portion  appeared 
upon  the  surface. 

"  Polly,"  he  said, "  can  you  make  out  what  that  is  ?  Some 
times  it  looks  like  a  long  mass  of  sea-weed,  but  it  is  too 
white." 

Neither  could  distinguish  the  object  clearly;  therefore, 
descending  to  the  beach,  Paul,  accompanied  by  his  wife, 
launched  a  small  skiff  and  rowed  out  of  the  harbor  toward 
the  spot.  Rounding  the  point  that  formed  a  natural  break 
water  to  the  small  bay  they  at  once  discovered  the  cause. 


44  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Upon  nearer  approach  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  it  was 
the  body  of  some  unfortunate  who  had  perished  in  the 
wreck  of  yesterday.  A  few  more  strokes  brought  them 
close  to  it. 

"  It  is  a  woman,"  said  Polly,  who  was  steering  the  boat. 
"  Look,  Paul,  your  oar  will  now  touch  her.  Help  me  to  lift 
her  from  the  water." 

It  was  the  body  of  a  beautiful  woman  of  about  two-and- 
twenty,  which  the  united  exertions  of  Paul  and  his  wife 
soon  placed  on  board  the  boat;  her  long  blonde  hair  he 
had  mistaken  in  the  distance  for  sea-weed.  Although  they 
knew  that  she  was  dead,  they  arranged  her  in  a  reclining 
position,  with  her  back  resting  against  the  seat  of  the  boat. 

"Poor  creature!  she  is  a  lady,"  said  Polly;  "and  so 
beautiful !" 

She  had  no  other  clothes  than  a  night-dress ;  several  val 
uable  rings  of  diamonds  and  rubies  were  on  her  fingers,  in 
addition  to  her  wedding-ring,  and  a  necklace  of  large  bril 
liants  was  hung  round  her  neck.  Some  of  her  long  hair 
was  twisted  among  her  delicate  fingers ;  the  button  of  the 
collar  of  her  night-gown  had  burst,  and  her  beautiful  snow- 
white  bosom  was  exposed. 

"  She  had  a  baby,"  sighed  Polly ;  "  poor  woman,  how  sad  ! 
Who  knows  whether  she  is  the  mother  of  the  child  we  have 
saved?" 

"  Very  likely,"  said  Paul ;  "  for  the  hair  that  we  found 
upon  the  rope  handle  attached  to  the  barrels  is  exactly  the 
same  as  that  now  twisted  in  her  fingers.  See  !  the  inside 
of  her  soft  hands  is  chafed  with  holding  on  to  the  hard 
rope.  Her  long  hair  must  have  become  entangled  while 
struggling  in  the  water,  and  she  has  had  no  strength  to 
keep  her  hold." 

The  expression  of  this  beautiful  but  unfortunate  mother 
was  one  of  calm  serenity ;  and  as  Polly  Grey  straightened 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  45 

her  gracefully-formed  limbs,  and  covered  her  breast  with 
her  long  flaxen  hair,  she  kissed  her  pale  cheek,  and  vowed 
inwardly  never  to  forsake  lier  orphan  child.  She  then  took 
off  her  cloak,  and  spread  it  gently  over  the  body. 

"  Take  off  the  rings,  Polly,  before  we  get  to  the  Cove," 
said  Paul.  "  We  must  take  care  of  them,  as  some  day  they 
may  be  wanted  if  the  child  should  live.  It  wouldn't  do  to 
let  the  people  at  the  Cove  see  the  gold  and  stones:"  Ac 
cordingly  Polly,  not  without  some  difficulty,  drew  the  rings 
from  her  taper  fingers,  and  unfastened  the  snap  of  the  neck 
lace. 

It  was  well  that  this  had  been  done,  for  on  their  arrival 
at  the  Cove  they  found  a  great  influx  of  people ;  the  news 
of  the  wreck  had  spread  rapidly  throughout  the  neighbor 
hood,  and  people  from  all  quarters  had  flocked  to  the  spot. 
Among  others  was  the  good  clergyman  of  the  neighboring 
village,  Dr.  Jones,  who  with  his  excellent  wife  had  driven 
down  to  the  Cove  with  a  good  supply  of  warm  clothing  and 
restoratives  in  case  they  should  be  required  by  the  surviv 
ors  from  the  shipwreck.  Alas  !  there  were  none ;  the  little 
child  was  the  only  soul  living  of  all  those  who  but  a  few 
hours  before  were  happy  in  their  near  approach  to  their 
native  land  and  homes  after  a  long  and  tedious  voyage  from 
China. 

"  What  have  we  here  ?"  cried  Dr.  Jones,  as  Paul  approach 
ed  the  shore.  "Ah's  me !  ah's  me  !  here's  a  disaster,"  ex 
claimed  the  good  man.  "  No  hope,  Mr.  Grey ;  no  hope,  I'm 
afraid  ?  "No,  no  hope,"  he  mournfully  and  slowly  repeat 
ed,  as  he  looked  at  the  figure  covered  with  Polly's  cloak. 
The  boat  struck  the  beach,  and  Polly  uncovered  the  face  of 
the  drowned  mother.  "  Ah's  me  !  ah's  me  !  Poor  thing  ! 
so  young,  so  lovely  I  And  did  you  say  a  mother  ?"  asked 
Dr.  Jones,  in  a  tone  of  despair.  In  a  few  minutes  Paul  had 
explained  the  incident  and  his  suspicions,  which  touching 


46  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

story  at  once  enlisted  the  sympathy  of  the  good  doctor;  but 
Paul  said  nothing  about  the  trinkets,  and  merely  stated  that 
his  wife  had  determined  to  nurse  and  to  adopt  the  child. 

A  few  days  after  this  event  a  simple  funeral  entered  the 
church-yard  of  Stoke  ;  the  coffin  was  carried  by  some  of  the 
fishermen  of  Sandy  Cove,  foremost  of  whom  was  the  power 
ful  figure  of  Paul  Grey.  Many  women  and  children  follow 
ed  as  mourners  one  whom  they  had  never  known,  but  whose 
fate  had  engaged  their  sympathies ;  and  Polly  Grey  carried 
the  infant  smiling  unconsciously  in  her  arms  as  it  followed 
its  dead  mother  to  the  grave.  The  good  Dr.  Jones  not 
only  paid  the  expenses  of  the  funeral,  but  some  weeks  aft 
erward  he  erected  a  stone  in  the  form  of  a  cross  upon  the 
spot,  with  this  short  inscription :  "  A  lady  unknown,  aged 
about  twenty-two.  Cast  up  by  the  sea  at  Sandy  Cove,  21st 
August,  1791." 

Paul  and  his  wife  had  returned  to  their  cottage  after  the 
funeral,  when  a  sudden  thought  struck  him.  "  What  was 
in  the  box  with  the  child  ?  Was  there  nothing  except  the 
Indian  shawl  and  the  wrapper  ?"  he  asked  Polly. 

"Only  some  thick  cotton  wool  at  the  bottom  for  the 
child  to  lie  upon,"  said  Polly,  "  which  I  did  not  remove ; 
but  if  you  like  I  will  fetch  the  box  and  empty  it." 

In  a  few  minutes  she  brought  the  box.  "  There  is  noth 
ing  here,  you  see,  except  the  wool  that  makes  a  kind  of  bed 
at  the  bottom."  As  she  spoke  she  quickly  emptied  the  con 
tents  in  double  handfuls.  "  What  is  this  ?"  she  exclaimed, 
as  "something  heavy  in  a  canvas  bag  suddenly  arrested  her 
hand.  Paul  lifted  it  up  from  a  mass  of  cotton  wool  in 
which  it  was  securely  packed. 

"  It  is  gold !"  said  Paul.  Marked  in  ink  upon  the  bag 
was  "  200  guineas." 

"  Oh  Paul,"  said  Polly,  "  this  is  dreadful !  We  have 
no  right  to  this  money,  and  its  possession  will  bring  some 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  47 

trouble ;  what  can  we  do  ?  Is  there  no  paper  in  the  box — 
no  writing  to  give  some  clew  to  the  name  of  the  owner  ?" 

"Nothing,"  answered* Paul,  "nothing,  except  this  bag 
of  two  hundred  guineas,  which  110  doubt  the  poor  lady 
packed  with  the  child.  We  must  stow  it  away  with  the 
trinkets  in  some  safe  place,  until  perhaps  some  day  we  may 
learn  something  more  about  it.  It's  lucky  that  we  found 
it,  and  still  more  lucky  that  we  didn't  unpack  the  box  in  tho 
crowd  at  the  Cove :  there  would  have  been  a  pretty  scramble 
for  the  gold." 

At  this  moment  a  knock  at  the  door  disturbed  the  con 
versation.  Paul  quickly  concealed  the  bag  of  gold  in  the 
wool  within  the  box  from,  which  he  had  taken  it,  while  Pol 
ly,  blushing  deeply  at  the  act  of  caution,  hesitated  until  the 
knock  was  repeated  before  she  gave  a  reply.  The  door 
opened,  Dr.  Jones  entered. 

"  Good-morning,  Mrs.  Grey.  I  feared  you  were  not  at 
home,  which  would  have  disappointed  me  much,  as  I  wish 
ed  to  have  some  conversation  with  you  about  your  new 
charge.  How  is  the  poor  little  castaway  ?" 

"  Doing  very  nicely,  sir,"  replied  Polly,  "  thank  you.  It 
is  a  lovely  child,  and  as  strong  and  healthy  as  could  be 
wished.  It  does  not  miss  its  mother,  and  there  is  no  fear 
that  it  will  not  thrive." 

"  It  is  a  strange  thing,"  said  Dr.  Jones,  "  that  we  can 
find  no  clew  to  the  name  beyond  the  letters  f  K.  N7  upon 
the  night-dress.  Was  there  no  paper  inclosed  in  any  por 
tion  of  the  clothes  or  wrappers  that  were  contained  in  the 
case  that  held  the  child  ?" 

Polly  could  not  help  a  slight  confusion  in  manner.  It 
was  true  tnat  no  paper  had  been  found:  but  her  natural 
honesty  felt  repugnant  to  the  idea  of  concealment,  and  she 
would  gladly  have  intrusted  the  good  Dr.  Jones  with  the  se 
cret,  had  not  a  warning  glance  from  her  husband  suggest- 


48  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ed  caution.  She  could  only  reply, "  There  was  nothing  that 
could  give  the  slightest  clew  to  a  discovery ;  and  strangely 
enough,  no  portion  of  the  wreck  bears  a  name.  No  boat 
has  been  washed  on  shore,  but  every  thing  appears  to  have 
been  dashed  to  pieces  against  the  rocks ;  thus  we  have  no 
idea  of  the  vessel,  except  that  portions  of  the  cargo,  such  as 
bales  of  silk,  suggest  that  she  must  have  sailed  from  India. 
Many  parts  of  the  beach  are  strewn  with  tea-leaves,  as  every 
chest  has  been  entirely  destroyed." 

"  Well,"  said  Dr.  Jones,  "  we  must  remember  carefully 
every  circumstance  connected  with  the  disaster,  as  the  time 
may  arrive  when  it  will  be  necessary  to  prove  the  identity 
of  the  child.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  from  the  appearance 
of  the  poor  mother's  body,  that  she  was  a  person  in  a  high 
position.  Poor  thing  !  so  young  and  so  beautiful ! — so  very 
beautiful !" 

"  I  have  cut  off  a  quantity  of  her  long  hair,"  said  Polly, 
"  which  I  have  carefully  packed  with  the — the — the  India 
shawl  and  night-dress." 

Polly  had  very  nearly  said  "  the  diamond  necklace,"  and, 
once  more  annoyed  at  herself  at  the  necessary  concealment, 
she  looked  imploringly  at  her  husband  for  permission  to  re 
lieve  herself  of  the  secret.  A  look  from  Paul  closed  her 
lips. 

"  Well,"  said  Dr.  Jones,  "  the  hair  may  some  day  be  of 
service :  it  was  a  good  thought,  Mrs.  Grey — a  very  good 
thought.  Then  so  the  matter  rests.  The  child  has  fallen 
into  kind  hands,  thank  God ;  and  when  you  have  done  your 
portion  of  the  good  work,  and  he  grows  to  the  proper  age, 
I  must  begin  my  share,  and  he  must  come  to  school." 

Dr.  Jones  was  the  clergyman,  and  also  the  school-master, 
of  the  village  of  Stoke ;  he  was  much  beloved,  and  being  a 
man  of  considerable  fortune  combined  with  a  generous  dis 
position,  he  was  looked  upon  as  the  father  of  the  poor  in 


(HAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  49 

his  neighborhood.  He  kept  a  school  simply  because  he 
loved  to  bring  up  boys  according  to  his  own  ideas  of  mo 
rality  ;  therefore,  without  considering  pecuniary  profit,  he 
received  the  pupils  of  the  wealthy  as  boarders,  while  he 
gratuitously  admitted  as  daily  scholars  many  of  the  poorer 
classes,  but  judiciously  arranged  them  in  separate  forms : 
in  fact,  Parson  Jones,  as  he  was  generally  called,  was  a  thor 
oughly  good  specimen  of  a  Christian  minister,  and  he  had 
the  rare  qualities  of  good  common-sense  and  judgment  com 
bined  with  other  virtues.  The  case  of  the  drowned  lady 
and  the  infant  child  that  was  supposed  to  belong  to  her  had 
struck  deeply  upon  his  imagination,  and  Parson  Jones  had 
resolved  to  keep  an  eye  upon  the  child  throughout  his  ca 
reer  ;  he  had  known  Polly  Grey  from  her  infancy,  as  her 
parents,  who  were  now  both  dead,  had  been  his  parishioners, 
and  he  had  almost  regretted  that  she  had  married  Paul, 
who  followed  the  hazardous  occupation  of  a  fisherman, 
while  so  many  well-to-do  farmers  had  striven  for  her  hand. 
However,  it  was  he  who  had  himself  married  them ;  there 
fore  he  took  an  additional  interest  in  their  welfare,  and  he 
felt  perfectly  satisfied  that  the  child  had  fallen  into  the  kind 
hands  of  Polly  Grey. 

0 


50  CAS2    UP   BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  III. 

TWELVE  years  had  passed  away  since  the  storm  of  1785. 
There  had  been  few  changes  in  Sandy  Cove,  except  that 
boys  had  grown  to  manhood,  and  those  who  were  girls  were 
now  mothers  of  families ;  but  among  the  adult  population 
there  had  been  little  alteration,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
deaths  among  the  older  people.  The  cottage  stood  upon 
the '  cliff  as  neatly  whitewashed  as  before ;  the  myrtles  in 
the  little  garden  had  grown  larger,  but  otherwise  there  was 
no  change;  and  Polly  Grey,  almost  as  charming  as  ever, 
but  rather  saddened  in  expression,  sat  before  her  cottage 
door  knitting  a  woolen  comforter,  and  anxiously  watching 
the  sea. 

It  was  about  an  hour  before  sunset  in  the  same  month 
of  August  when  twelve  years  ago  the  Indiaman  had  been 
driven  on  the  shore.  There  was  a  silence  about  the  cot 
tage  and  an  absence  of  many  little  trifles  that  showed  that 
Polly  Grey  had  no  children  at  home ;  indeed,  there  was  a 
superstition  in  the  village  that  old  Mother  Lee  had  once 
cursed  her,  and  some  pretended  a  recollection  of  certain 
words  that  she  had  uttered  when,  in  a  fit  of  rage,  she:«pat 
upon  the  ground,  and  said, "  Yer'll  get  no  other,  Polly  Grey, 
except  what's  cast  up  from  the  sea."  Certain  it  was,  that 
Polly  had  never  had  a  child  since  the  death  of  her  first  and 
her  adoption  of  the  little  castaway. 

The  small  land-locked  bay  was  quite  empty — not  a  boat 
floated  upon  the  clear  blue  water,  but  a  few  skiffs  lay  upon 
the  beach  where  nets  were  spread  out  to  dry,  and  the  smart 


CAST   VP  BY  THE  SEA.  51 

lugger,  the  Polly  of  olden  times,  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 
In  the  silence  of  the  moment,  Polly  was  startled  by  the 
rattle  of  pebbles  on  the  steep  zigzag  path.  This  was  almost 
immediately  followed  by  the  appearance  of  a  fine,  bronzed 
looking  man  about  forty  years  of  age  in  the  uniform  of  a 
revenue-officer,  with  the  empty  sleeve  on  his  left  pinned  up 
to  the  shoulder. 

*  "  Good-evening,  Mrs.  Grey.  Are  you  alone  ?  for  I  have 
a  few  words  to  say  to  you  in  particular,"  said  Captain 
Smart. 

"  Ah,  my  good  friend,"  said  Polly,  "  I  am  glad  to  see  you, 
for  I  was  just  feeling  melancholy ;  the  boat  should  have  re 
turned  yesterday,  and,  although  the  wind  is  fair,  I  see  no 
sign  of  a  sail  even  yet :  what  can  have  happened  ?  The 
weather  is  fine,  and  Paul  promised  me  that  he  would  not 
be  away  two  days — this  is  the  third !" 

Joe  Smart,  the  old  friend  of  the  family,  looked  serious ; 
and  sitting  upon  the  bench  by  Polly's  side  he  explained  his 
errand. 

"  My  dear  Mrs.  Grey,  don't  be  alarmed  about  his  safety, 
but  as  your  oldest  friend  I  have  come  to  give  you  a  timely 
warning.  A  revenue  cruiser  has  been  sent  to  capture  the 
Polly,  and  Paul  is  either  taken  at  this  moment,  or  he  is 
chased  by  the  Government  cutter,  as  the  Polly  is  declared 
to  be  a  smuggler.  N~ow  as  Paul's  old  friend  I  have  often 
given ;|mn  advice  upon  this  point,  and  as  his  Majesty's  offi 
cer  I  have  hardly  done  my  duty ;  but  let  me  implore  you, 
shoulcT  he  escape  this  chance,  prevent  him  from  such  a 
course,  which  must  lead  to  ruin." 

Polly  shook  her  head. 

"  I  fear  that  I  have  not  the  influence  that  I  once  had," 
said  she.  "  Paul  is  always  kind,  but  I  feel  sure  that  there 
are  thoughts  on  his  mind  that  he  does  not  share  with  me. 
It  is  good  of  you  to  be  our  friend,  but  that  will  do  but  lit- 


52  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

tie  good  should  Paul  be  caught.  Do  you  know  where  the 
Polly  went?" 

"  The  information  we  have  received  is  this,"  said  Captain 
Smart.  "  Although  we  are  at  war  with  France,  there  is  a 
league  between  the  French  smugglers  and  those  of  this 
coast.  They  have  their  private  places  of  appointment,  and 
they  meet  at  sea  out  of  sight  of  land,  where  they  exchange 
cargoes.  The  French  then  run  English  goods  upon  the*ir 
coast,  while  our  people  smuggle  spirits,  lace,  silks,  and  oth 
er  valuable  articles  that  pay  a  high  duty.  The  Polly  has 
always  been  suspected,  but  nothing  could  be  proved  until 
evidence  was  given  a  week  ago  that  has  confirmed  their 
suspicions :  thus  an  order  has  been  received  from  head 
quarters  to  chase  and  board  her,  and  to  capture  her  should 
contraband  goods  be  found." 

Although  Polly  Grey  was  anxious  at  this  intelligence  it 
was  not  absolutely  new  to  her.  In  those  days  there  was 
nothing  that  was  considered  dishonorable  in  a  smuggler's 
occupation  among  the  fraternity,  and  now  that  Polly  heard 
of  the  intended  capture  of  her  husband's  boat  her  sailor's 
blood  was  up.  "It  will  be  no  revenue  cutter  that  will 
catch  the  Polly"  said  Polly  Grey ;  "  there's  nothing  on  the 
south  coast  that  can  touch  her,  and  there's  no  man  that  dare 
lay  a  hand  on  Paul !" 

Joe  Smart  smiled  at  her  woman's  pride,  and  rose  to  say 
good-by.  He  good-naturedly  shook  her  hand,  auA|aid, 
"  I'm  your  true  friend,  Mrs.  Grey ;  there's  no  friend  like  an 
old  one,  and  I  have  done  my  duty  in  giving  you  a  hint. 
Heaven  forbid  that  I  should  ever  be  forced  to  act.  as  a  rev 
enue-officer  against  Paul  Grey !  Good-by,  and  may  he 
have  no  ill  luck  !" 

As  Joe  Smart  disappeared  Polly  could  not  help  looking 
once  more  anxiously  toward  the  sea,  at  the  same  time  she 
pondered  over  the  warning  of  their  old  friend.  The  real 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  53 

fact  was,  that  Paul  had  gradually  increased  in  his  -daring 
adventures,  and  he  had  now  engaged  in, the  contraband 
trade  to  an  extent  that  a  few  years  ago  he  would  have  be 
lieved  impossible.  He  had  never  confided  these  acts  to  his 
wife,  although  he  had  frequently  brought  packages  to  the 
cottage  which  he  confessed  he  had  purchased  from  French 
boats  without  paying  the  duty ;  these  were  usually  secret 
ed  in  a  long  but  narrow  cave,  which  entered  the  cliff  from 
the  kitchen.  This  room,  being  built  directly  against  the 
rock  as  a  wall,  was  arranged,  as  usual  in  kitchens,  with 
many  cupboards.  One  of  these  against  the  rock  had  a 
false  back,  so  that  the  door  when  open  merely  showed  what 
appeared  to  be  the  cupboard  itself  arranged  with  shelves. 
By  removing  a  bolt,  the  entire  affair  moved  backward  upon 
hinges,  and  opened  into  the  gallery  of  the  -cliff.  This  cave 
was  about  fifty  feet  in  length,  and,  although  only  the  width 
of  the  cupboard  at  the  entrance,  it  widened  toward  the  ex 
tremity  to  a  chamber  of  about  twenty  feet  square.  It  was 
in  this  chamber  that  Polly  had  originally  concealed  the  neck 
lace  and  locket,  together  with  the  bag  of  two  hundred  guin 
eas  that  had  been  found  in  the  box  with  the  child  after  the 
wreck.  They  were  carefully  packed  together  with  the 
shawl  in  the  same  case  in  which  they  had  been  washed 
ashore. 

«ough  Polly  had  no  more  idea  of  the  disgrace  of 
ing  on  a  small  scale  than  a  lady  might  have  in  land- 
h  a  dozen  pairs  of  gloves,  she  had  always  been  afraid 
that  Paul  was  more  deeply  engaged  in  contraband  than  he 
chose  to  admit,  and  she  had  now  no  longer  any  doubt,  after 
her  conversation  with  Joe  Smart,  that  he  was  embarked  in 
a  most  dangerous  course.     Paul  had  drifted  so  gradually 
into  the  trade  that  he  could  not  see  the  dishonesty.     He 
was  like  many  others  in  those  days  who,  scrupulously  cor 
rect  in  all  other  matters,  yet  thought  it  no  sin  to  cheat  the 


54  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

Government.  Thus  with  his  great  'experience  of  the  coast, 
and  his  excellence  in  seamanship,  combined  with  the  fine 
sea-going  qualities  of  the  Polly r,  he  was  one  of  the  most 
successful  in  his  trade.  He  had  long  since  paid  off  the  sum 
advanced  upon  his  boat  by  his  friend  Joe  Smart,  and  he 
was  now  sole  owner,  with  a  crew  of  eight  picked  men. 

The  sun  was  just  sinking  half  imbedded  in  the  sea  in 
a  broad  glare  of  ruddy  light  when  a  sail  was  suddenly  de 
scried,  illumined  by  a  red  glow  which  rapidly  sank,  and 
shortly  gave  place  to  gray :  it  was  now  no  longer  visible, 
and  the  anxious  wife  strained  her  eyes  along  the  darkening 
horizon,  almost  believing  that  the  sail  had  been  a  fancied 
apparition.  The  breeze  was  blowing  freshly  from  the  sea, 
and,  the  twilight  having  ceased,  the  night  became  perfectly 
dark,  as  there  was  no  moon. 

Polly  lighted  her  lamp,  which  she  hung  at  the  window, 
in  addition  to  the  candles  that  burned  upon  the  table. 
"  They  will  see  that  light  far  out  at  sea,"  she  thought ;  "  it's 
a  dark  night  to  find  the  entrance  to  the  Cove !" 

More  than  one  hour  passed  away ;  there  was  no  sound 
except  the  whistling  of  the  wind  and  the  sullen  roll  of  the 
breakers  against  the  rocks.  Somehow  the  sound  that  night 
reminded  her  of  the  storm  twelve  years  ago.  There  was 
a  moaning  in  the  air  that  recalled  the  commencement  of  the 
disastrous  hurricane.  Another  hour  struck,  and  although 
for  many  years  she  had  known  the  tone  of  the  old  wHen 
clock,  it  seemed  to  beat  the  hour  with  a  peculiar  sound  that 
again  recalled  the  scene  of  that  fearful  night  when  old 
Mother  Lee  had  appeared  like  an  evil  spirit  and  prophesied 
disaster.  The  wind  was  now  blowing  a  gale;  another 
hour  passed.  Again  the  old  clock  struck ;  it  was  eleven, 
and  the  sea  was  now  roaring  against  the  cliffs :  but  there 
was  no  sound  of  man.  She  rose  in  a  great  state  of  nervous 
excitement  and  looked  out  of  the  window ;  it  was  pitchy 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  55 

dark,  and  the  wild,  peculiar  moan  of  the  gale  betokened  a 
sou'-wester.  Borne  down  with  anxiety,  she  sat  at  the  table 
and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands  as  she  offered  a  fervent 
prayer  for  the  protection  of  all  she  loved.  Suddenly,  with 
a  suppressed  scream,  she  started  from  her  chair,  as  a  hor 
rible  chuckle  struck  upon  her  ear,  followed  by  the  low  mut 
tered  tones,  "  Luck  comes  from  the  sou'  -  west,  ha,  ha  1" 
For  an  instant  she  had  covered  her  eyes,  but  upon  with 
drawing  her  hands  the  hideous  figure  of  Mother  Lee  stood 
before  her. 

"  What  brings  you  here,  Mother  Lee,  at  this  late  hour  ?" 
exclaimed  Polly ;  "  has  any  thing  happened  ?  Do  you  come 
with  evil  news  ?"  she  asked,  her  anxiety  for  the  moment 
overcoming  her  repugnance  to  the  old  woman. 

"  That's  as  yau  choose  to  take  it ;  but  you're  a  pretty  - 
watcher !"  said  Mother  Lee.  "  Your  eyes  are  like  a  mole's 
that  yer  haven't  seen  them  coming  !  You're  a  pretty  sail 
or's  wife,  to  mope  in  the  house  when  the  storm's  brewing, 
and  yer  husband's  running  before  the  cruiser  !  Fie  on  yer  ! 
yer  not  the  wench  for  Paul  Grey.  To  go  moping  over  yer 
Bible!  That  won't  help  him  like  a  fire  on  the  Point! 
Look  out  and  see  what  Mother  Lee  "has  worked !  The 
cruiser  won't  be  long  before  she  strikes  the  rock !  Blow 
out  your  lights !"  Polly  had  hardly  recovered  from  her 
surprise  before  the  old  woman,  having  suited  the  action  to 

¥ord,  had  extinguished  the  candles  and  the  lamp — they 
in  total  darkness.     "Now  you'll  see  Mother  Lee's 
handiwork!     Come  out  and  look  at  the  Point.      I  came 
here  to  blow  out  your  stupid  lights  !" 

Polly  instinctively  followed  the  old  woman  as  she  left  the 
house.  She  could  hardly  stand  against  the  wind,  but  she 
at  once  saw  two  bright  lights ;  one  upon  the  extremity  of 
either  Point  that  formed  the  narrow  entrance  to  the  Cove, 
while  far  out  at  sea  she  observed  something  like  a  star  that 


5G  CAST    UP  BY   THE   SEA. 

occasionally  disappeared.  In  a  few  minutes  a  long  streak 
of  fire  ascended  from  the  sea  at  a  great  distance,  and  burst 
into  a  number  of  red  balls. 

"  "What  a  bright  meteor  !  or  was  it  lightning  ?"  exclaimed 
Polly. 

"  There's  meaning  in  the  flash,"  muttered  Mother  Lee ; 
"  yer'll  see  another  presently."  In  a  few  minutes  a  similar 
light  shot  up  from  the  dark  sea.  "  Now  look  to  the  east," 
said  Mother  Lee,  "  and  yer'll  soon  understand  it."  Hardly 
had  she  spoken  the  words  when  on  the  high  cliff  about  five 
miles  distant,  occupied  by  the  coast-guard  station,  a  rocket 
flew  to  the  clouds  and  burst  into  a  cluster  of  blue  stars. 

"  Now  Paul  Grey,  lead  'em  a  dance  !  and  -steer  straight 
between  the  fires !"  chuckled  Mother  Lee,  "  while  I  go  and 
put  'em  out  when  all's  right.  She'll  break  her  bones  if  she 
follows — yes — ha,  ha  !  ha,  ha  !  What  a  night !  There's  all 
luck  from  the  sou'- west !  Mother  Lee  knows  a  trick  or  two 
— ha,  ha,  ha !"  and  the  old  woman  with  astonishing  activity 
disappeared  down  the  steep  declivity,  and  left  Polly  alone 
in  the  dark  and  stormy  night.  All  other  feelings  now  gave 
way  to  his  wife's  anxiety ;  she  saw  that  the  old  woman  had 
better  information  than  herself.  There  could  be  no  doubt 
that  Paul's  boat  was  chased  by  a  revenue  cruiser  that  now 
exchanged  signals  with  the  coast-guard  on  shore ;  thus  he 
would  run  a  double  danger,  as,  although  he  might  possibly 
avoid  the  cruiser,  he  would  most  probably  be  met  uponar- 
rival  in  the  Cove  by  a  party  that  would  be  immediately 
dispatched  from  the  coast-guard  station  to  search  his  Ws- 
sel.  Polly  now  understood  Mother  Lee's  reason  for  extin 
guishing  her  lights  ;  there  could  be  little  .doubt  that  the  two 
fires  to  guide  the  entrance  to  the  Cove  were  the  result  of  a 
preconcerted  arrangement  with  which  her  third  light  would 
have  interfered ;  but  she  could  not  help  feeling  hurt  that 
her  husband  had  not  reposed  the  same  confidence  in  her 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  57 

that  he  had  evidently  shared  with  others.  This  corrobora 
ted  all  that  she  had  heard  from  Captain  Smart,  and  she  had 
no  longer  any  doubt  that  Paul  was  far  more  deeply  en- 
ga^fed  in  smuggling  enterprise  than  she  had  imagined. 

She  had  been  watching  nervously  for  about  half  an  hour 
since  Mother  Lee  had  departed  in  the  midst  of  the  violent 
storm,  when  suddenly  a  bright  cloud  of  sparks  flew  from 
one  of  the  fires  upon  the  Point,  and  it  was  almost  immedi 
ately  extinguished  ;  a  similar  effect  was  nearly  at  the  same 
time  produced  on  the  opposite  fire,  and  the  two  bright 
lights  disappeared;  the  entire  scene  was  total  darkness, while 
the  wind  and  waves  roared  louder  than  before.  Polly  with 
drew  into  her  cottage,  and  striking  a  light  she  once  more 
waited  anxiously.  She  could  not  sit  down,  and  she  paced 
the  room  in  intense  excitement.  What  could  have  happen 
ed?  Had  the  boat  arrived?  She  had  neither  heard  nor 
seen  any  thing,  only  the  sudden  extinction  of  the  fires  ;  the 
noise  of  the  storm  and  the  darkness  had  obscured  all  else. 

The  old  clock  struck  one,  and  hardly  had  the  vibration 
of  the  bell  ceased,  when  the  sound  of  hurried  footsteps  was 
heard  on  the  outside.  Polly  flew  to  the  door  as  it  opened 
suddenly,  and  Paul  Grey  quickly  entered  the  room,  carry 
ing  on  his  broad  shoulders  an  immense  bale.  He  was  im 
mediately  followed  by  a  handsome  young  sailor  boy,  who 
appeared  to  be  about  fourteen  years  of  age,  who  also  car 
ried  with  difficulty  a  heavy  package,  which  he  threw  down 
upon  ihe  floor,  and  in  the  next  moment  he  was  embraced 
in  the  arms  of  Polly  Grey. 

"  Now,  Polly,  this  is  no  time  for  kissing,"  cried  Paul ; 
"  there's  much  to  be  done  and  little  time  to  do  it.  Open 
the  cupboard  as  quick  as  you  can ;  for  this  is  a  heavy  load, 
I  can  tell  you,  and  there's  more  to  come." 

As  Paul  said,  there  was  no  time  for  kissing,  for  six  men 
now  entered  the  room,  each  laden  with  a  heavy  bale,  which 

C  2 


58  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

by  Paul's  directions  they  deposited  upon  the  floor,  and  im 
mediately  withdrew.  In  the  mean  time  Polly  had  gone 
into  the  kitchen  and  opened  the  secret  door  of  the  gallery, 
into  which,  after  about  ten  minutes'  labor,  Paul,  with*  the 
assistance  of  his  wife  and  the  young  sailor,  had  carried  and 
concealed  the  eight  packages. 

With  great  dispatch  Polly  then  spread  a  clean  cloth  upon 
a  round  oak  table,  upon  which  in  a  few  minutes  appeared 
a  large  round  of  cold  boiled  beef,  with  a  loaf  of  brown 
bread  and  a  huge  jugt  of  ale. 

"  I  must  have  a  pull  at  the  beer  before  I  can  speak,"  said 
Paul ;  "but  here,  Ned,  you  must  be  thirsty  too,"  said  he, 
as  he  poured  out  a  large  hornf ul  for  the  lad  before  he  drank. 
In  the  next  instant  both  man  and  boy  were  silent — the  only 
sound  was  the  rapid  gurgling  as  the  grateful  drink  poured 
down  their  throats. 

"  Now  then,"  said  Paul,  as  he  took  a  deep  sigh  as  he  re 
placed  the  half-emptied  jug.  "  Polly,  we've  had  a  sharp 
run  for  it;  haven't  we,  Ned?  But  there's  nothing  afloat 
that  can  catch  the  Polly,  especially  when  it's  blowing  a  gale 
like  to-night." 

"  I  didn't  like  the  running,  mother,"  said  the  boy ;  "  I 
would  rather  fight  the  cutter  than  see  the  Polly  run  away." 
The  bright  blue  eyes  of  the  lad  sparkled  with  excitement, 
at  the  same  time  a  deep  blush  tinged  his  cheek  when  he 
added,  "  I  don't  like  the  work  of  to-night,  for,  although  not 
ashamed  to  be  beaten  in  a  fair  fight,  I  should  have  felt  dis 
graced  had  we  been  taken  by  the  cruiser.  I  hope  we  are 
not  doing  wrong,  mother,  but  I  felt  as  though  we  were  not 
in  the  right." 

Paul  took  another  long  pull  at  the  ale  to  avoid  the  neces 
sity  of  a  reply. 

"  Tell  me  what  has  happened,  Ned,"  said  Polly,  as  she 
drew  her  chair  to  his  side,  and  parted  the  bright  waving 


•     VAtiT    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  59 

hair  from  his  forehead.  "  How  hot  and  tired  you  look,  my 
dear  boy !  What  made  you  so  late  ?  Tell  me  the  whole 
story,  for  I  have  had  a  miserable  time  since  your  father 
left." 

Although  Ned  Grey  was  only  twelve  years  old  (as  it  was 
exactly  that  time  since  he  had  been  first  pressed  to  Polly 
Grey's  bosom  when  she  recalled  the  unconscious  infant  to 
existence  after  the  memorable  shipwreck),  he  looked  at 
least  fourteen.  He  was  remarkably  tall,  and  powerfully  and 
gracefully  built ;  his  features  were  almost  too  regular,  as  the 
small  mouth  and  curled  lip  and  delicately-arched  nose  would 
have  been  almost  feminine  had  they  not  been  contradicted 
by  a  brow  of  most  decided  character,  with  deep-blue  eyes 
that,  although  large  and  soft,  brightened  with  unmistakable 
fire  in  a  moment  of  excitement.  There  was  an  air  of  noble 
frankness  and  honesty  of  expression  that,  independently  of 
other  attractions,  would  have  stamped  him  as  a  boy  of  high 
character  at  first  sight.  This,  combined  with  his  handsome 
and  manly  appearance,  had  gained  him  friends  among  all 
who  knew  him. 

"  Well,  mother,"  said  Ned ;  "  it  was  simply  this  :  When 
we  left  the  Cove  the  other  day  we  went  to  the  coast  of 
France,  and  on  our  way  back  we  spoke  a  French  lugger 
about  half-way  between  this  and  France,  and  father  made 
some  purchases  from  her  captain — those  very  bales  that  we 
brought  home  to-night,  and  a  dozen  kegs  of  brandy;  but 
hardly  had  we  got  them  stowed  on  board  than  a  strange 
sail  hove  in  sight,  and  the  French  lugger  was  off  in  a  min 
ute.  We  followed  her.  The  strange  sail  chased  us ;  and, 
as  the  French  lugger  could  not  sail  as  fast  as  the  Potty,  we 
went  on  another  tack,  and  the  strange  sail  that  father  thinks 
was  an  English  brig-of-war  chose  the  slower  boat,  and  went 
after  the  Frenchman.  We  were  now  free ;  but  the  wind 
being  northerly  we  had  to  beat  up  against  it  to  get  home. 


60  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SfiA. 

However,  at  daybreak  this  morning  we  met  a  fishing-smack 
from  this  coast,  from  which  we  learned  that  the  revenue 
cutter  had  been  sent  out  on  purpose  to  look  after  the  Polly. 
Sure  enough  a  few  hours  later  we  saw  a  fine,  smart-looking 
cutter  bearing  down  upon  us,  with  the  English  flag  flying, 
and  as  we  did  not  alter  our  course,  she  fired  a  gun.  As  we 
took  no  notice,  she  fired  another.  This  time  it  was  shotted, 
and  we  could  see  the  white  spray  leap  three  times  from  the 
water  as  the  shot  bounded  along  the  surface,  quite  a  mile 
and  a  half  too  short  to  reach  us. 

"  Suddenly  the  wind  dropped,  and  it  turned  calm  for 
hours,  and  neither  of  us  could  go  ahead.  At  length  the 
wind  changed,  and  came  in  puffs  from  the  south-west ;  this 
soon  turned  to  a  gale,  and  the  race  began  in  earnest.  The 
cutter  sailed  well,  and  the  Polly  could  just  hold  her  own 
until  the  sea  got  up ;  then  we  had  the  best  of  it,  for  noth 
ing  can  touch  her  in  a  heavy  sea :  the  cutter  plunged  bows 
under,  while  the  Polly  hardly  wetted  her  decks,  but  scud 
ded  along  like  a  bird.  Night  came  on,  and  although  we 
could  not  see  the  cutter  we  could  now  and  then  distinguish 
a  light  on  board.  We  knew  we  were  running  on  the  land, 
and  the  gale  had  turned  to  a  storm.  It  was  awful  work, 
us  we  knew  the  danger  of  the  coast,  when  all  of  a  sudden 
we  saw  a  bright  light  to  the  north ;  then  we  saw  anothei 
close  to  it,  as  though  they  were  almost  touching.  At  this 
time  we  saw  a  rocket  sent  up  from  the  cutter,  which,  as 
nearly  as  we  could  guess,  was  about  three  miles  astern. 
Again  she  fired  a  rocket,  which  was  quickly  answered  from 
the  shore. 

" '  This  is  touch  and  go !'  said  father ;  still  on  we  flew 
with  the  gale  right  abeam,  and  the  lugger  in  her  best  trim 
going  like  a  racehorse.  < Hurrah !'  cried  father, ( Mother  Lee 
has  got  her  lamps  trimmed ;'  and  as  we  approached  the  two 
lights  widened  apart.  *  That's  the  mouth  of  the  Cove,'  said 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  61 

father ;  *  we  are  all  right  if  we  can  see  to  clear  the  Iron 
Rock.' 

"  Father  had  the  helm,  and  not  a  word  was  spoken  on 
the  deck  as  we  went  hissing  through  the  water.  The  lights 
were  now  pretty  wide  apart,  and  we  knew  we  were  getting 
close  in.  '  Starboard  !'  shouted  a  man  at  the  fore-mast,  as 
we  could  just  see  the  white  foam  surging  in  a  huge  breaker 
over  the  Iron  Rock  within  a  cable's  length  of  us ;  in  another 
moment  we  passed  within  thirty  yards  of  the  breakers,  and 
presently  we  shot  direct  into  the  mouth  of  the  bay  between 
the  two  fires  on  the  cliffs.  We  could  see  the  old  woman  at 
one  fire  and  a  man  at  the  other :  directly  we  had  passed 
both  fires  were  suddenly  put  out.  We  anchored  in  the 
bay ;  father  left  two  men  in  the  Polly  with  orders  to  sink 
the  kegs  of  brandy,  while  we  landed  in  the  pinnace  with 
the  bales  which  we  have  just  put  away ;  and  glad  I  was, 
mother  dear,  to  see  the  light  at  home,  and  to  find  you  wait 
ing  for  us.  But  I  don't  like  the  work,  mother ;  and  I  don't 
think  it's  all  over  yet." 

"  Well,  Ned,  you  sha'n't  go  again  unless  you  like,"  said 
Paul;  "but  there's  no  harm  in  buying  and  selling  fairly. 
All's  honest  and  above-board  ;  and  if  the  Polly's  too  long  in 
the  legs  for  the  King's  boats  she  has  a  right  to  earn  a  penny 
for  a  new  set  of  sails.  We  don't  rob  the  Government  of 
the  duty ;  if  we  didn't  bring  the  silks  through  the  French 
men  would,  so  the  country  loses  nothing  and  we  gain." 

The  conversation  was  suddenly  interrupted.  At  this 
moment  the  windows  of  the  cottage  jshook  violently  at  the 
loud  report  of  a  cannon  that  appeared  almost  close  to  the 
cliff.  All  sprang  to  their  feet,  and  looking  through  the 
window,  rocket  after  rocket  whizzed  high  in  the  air.  Again 
a  vivid  flash  was  followed  by  the  concussion  of  a  gun,  and 
as  Paul  and  N"ed  rushed  out  to  the  terrace  a  fearful  sight 
was  presented.  Brightly  illumined  by  the  burning  of  a 


52  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

blue  light  which  rendered  not  only  objects  on  the  deck  but 
every  rope  distinctly  visible,  the  fine  revenue  cutter  lay  fix 
ed  upon  the  Iron  Rock.  A  wave  rolled  completely  over  her, 
and  at  once  extinguished  the  light  that  had  for  a  few  mo 
ments  exhibited  her  distress ;  at  the  same  instant  a  tremen 
dous  crash  was  heard  as  her  mast  fell  over  the  side.  Again 
a  flash  and  heavy  report,  then  once  more  a  blue  light  burn 
ed,  and  showed  the  fearful  havoc  that  had  been  wrought 
in  a  few  minutes  :  dismasted,  and  with  her  decks  confused 
with  the  fallen  sail  and  rigging,  and  her  immense  boom  ly 
ing  across  the  quarter-deck.  The  crew  were  attempting  to 
save  themselves  on  the  spars.  Several  men  clung  to-  the 
mast ;  but  again  the  sea  broke  completely  over  her,  and 
swept  away  not  only  the  light  but  the  unfortunate  man  that 
held  it.  All  was  complete  darkness  ;  but  above  the  tumult 
of  wind  and  waves  a  cry  of  distress  could  be  distinctly 
heard. 

Without  loss  of  time  Paul  and  Ned  had  seized  two  coils 
of  rope  from  the  cottage  stores,  and  were  making  the  best 
of  their  way  along  the  edge  of  the  cliff  to  the  projecting 
point  at  the  right  of  the  entrance  to  the  bay  upon  which 
Mother  Lee  had  originally  lighted  the  fire.  This  point  was 
not  far  from  the  Iron  Rock,  and  should  any  strong  swimmer 
be  able  to  reach  it  he  would  either  be  able  to  enter  th* 
Cove,  or  should  he  miss  the  mouth  he  would  be  dashed  to 
pieces  against  the  perpendicular  cliff.  Paul  thought  that 
the  mast  with  the  clinging  crew  might  be  driven  in  this 
direction,  he  had  therefore  taken  ropes  to  haul  them  up  the 
rock  should  it  be  possible  to  save  them.  He  had  also  pro 
vided  himself  with  a  crowbar  to  drive  into  the  ground,  to 
which  he  could  make  fast  a  rope  should  it  be  necessary  for 
him  to  descend.  Ned  carried  a  lantern,  but  the  way  was  so 
dangerous  along  the  edge  of  the  cliff  that  much  caution  was 
required  in  their  advance. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  63 

In  the  mean  time  a  person  was  already  at  the  extremity 
of  the  Point,  exactly  opposite  to  the  Iron  Rock  upon  which 
the  cutter  lay.  Mother  Lee,  after  having  extinguished  her 
fire,  had  remained  upon  the  spot  to  revel  in  the  calamity 
that  she  had  expected. 

As  the  Polly,  guided  by  the  two  fires,  had  scudded 
through  the  mouth  of  the  bay  beneath  her  feet,  she  guessed 
that  the  cutter  would  approach  so  near  in  pursuit  as  to  be 
unable  to  weather  the  Iron  Rock  in  so  violent  a  gale  on  a 
lee  shore.  Mother  Lee  was  always  in  ecstasy  amid  scenes 
of  suffering ;  but  as  her  husband  had  been  hanged  for  pi 
racy  and  murder,  she  bore  an  infernal  hatred  to  all  officers 
of  the  Crown,  but  more  especially  to  those  of  the  coast 
guard,  by  wko'm  he  had  been  captured.  She  now  sat  crouch 
ed  like  an  old  owl  among  the  loose  fragments  of  rock  upon 
the  extreme  point  of  the  cliff ;  but  could  her  face  have  been 
distinguished  an  intense  earnestness  would  have  been  ob 
served  as  she  bent  her  head  on  one  side,  and  with  one  hand 
raised  to  assist  her  hearing,  she  strained  her  ears  for  any 
sound  that  should  be  heard  beneath.  At  length  she  start 
ed.  There  could  be  no  doubt — it  was  a  voice,  then  another 
still  more  distinct,  from  the  raging  sea,  two  hundred  feet 
below  ! 

"  Hold  on,  my  lads,  never  fear  !  stick  your  feet  out  when 
we  near  the  rocks !" 

"  I  can't  hold  on  much  longer.  Oh,  my  poor  Sarah !"  ex 
claimed  a  despairing  voice  in  reply. 

At  this  moment  the  mast,  with  six  men  clinging  to  it, 
including  the  captain  of  the  cutter,  was  washed  against  the 
cliff  exactly  below  the  Point  upon  which  the  old  woman 
was  perched.  Fortunately  the  spar  was  brought  at  right 
angles  across  the  extreme  point  of  the  entrance  to  the  bar, 
so  that,  could  the  men  only  retain  their  hold  in  the  fright 
ful  surf  that  beat  against  the  perpendicular  rock,  both  the 


64  CAST    UP  BY   THE  tiEA. 

mast  and  themselves  would  have  a  good  chance  of  being 
washed  directly  into  the  mouth  of  the  Cove,  in  which  case 
they  might  be  saved. 

"  Hold  fast,  my  lads  !  Never  say  die  !"  shouted  the  same 
manly  voice  of  encouragement  from  below,  as  one  end  of 
the  mast  struck  violently  against  the  rock. 

"  Lord  help  us  !"  screamed  a  voice  of  agony ;  "  help  !" 

"  Hold  fast !"  was  again  heard,  as  the  breakers  "forced 
the  entire  length  of  the  mast  broadside  on  against  the 
rocks  and  jammed  the  unfortunate  men  against  the  cliff. 

Old  Mother  Lee  had  stood  up,  and  she  leaned  over  the 
cliff,  listening  to  the  terrible  struggle  for  life. 

«  Ha  !  ha  !"  she  chuckled. 

"Lord  help  us!" 

"I'll  help  ye!  Yer  helped  my  Stephen,  didn't  yer? 
Here's  help  for  yer !  and  here  !  And  here's  more  help ! 
Curses  on  yer !  here's  more  help  \  Ha  !  ha !  I  heard  that 
strike  !  D'ye  like  it  ?  Here's  another  !" 

The  old  woman,  with  incredible  strength,  in  a  frenzy  of 
fury  lifted  large  blocks  of  stone  from  the  rocky  ground,  and 
showered  them  at  random  upon  the  unfortunate  sailors  be 
low.  A  fragment  of  stone  of  many  pounds'  weight  fell 
upon  the  head  of  the  gallant  captain  with  a  dull  crash,  and 
his  lifeless  body  slipped  from  the  mast  and  disappeared 
amid  the  surf.  Another,  and  then  a  third,  succumbed  to 
the  pitiless  shower  cf  stones  which  the  old  hag  rolled  with 
out  intermission  from  the  height.  Two  men  had  been 
crushed  to  death  against  the  cliff  by  the  mast  driven  by  the 
surf.  Only  one  remained ;  several  rocks  bounded  past  him, 
and  two  had  struck  the  mast  within  a  few  inches  of  his 
hands. 

Just  at  this  moment  Paul  and  Ned  arrived,  and  found 
Mother  Lee  in  the  act  of  heaving  another  piece  of  rock  over 
the  edge  of  the  cliff ;  in  her  excitement  she  had  neither 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  a £2 A.  05 

heard  them  approach  nor  had  she  seen  the  light,  as  her  at 
tention  had  been  directed  below. 

Startled  at  the  unexpected  sight  of  the  old  woman,  Paul 
halted  for  a  moment  just  as  she  hurled  a  large  stone  over 
the  precipice.  At  the  same  time  a  loud  cry  of  distress 
from  beneath  rang  upon  his  ear.  The  horrible  truth  flash 
ed  upon  him  as  Mother  Lee  turned  round,  and  he  read  the 
deed  in  the  fearful  expression  of  her  features. 

"  Cursed  old  fiend  !"  shouted  Paul,  as  he  seized  her  by 
the  waist,  and  lifting  her  like  an  infant  in  the  air,  he  swung 
her  above  his  head;  and  in  another  moment  Mother  Lee 
would  have  been  flying  over  the  rock  into  the  boiling  surf 
had  not  Ned  caught  Paul's  arm,  and  checked  his  first  im 
pulse  of  retribution. 

Throwing  her  upon  the  ground  behind  him,  Paul  halloo 
ed  out,  "  Who's  below?" 

"  Help  me  !  I'm  nearly  done,  massa,"  replied  a  foreign 
voice. 

"  Hold  on,  my  good  fellow  !"  shouted  Paul,  "  I'll  be  with 
you  directly!  Don't  give  in." 

Just  at  this  moment  a  heavy  sea  sweeping  round  the  cor 
ner  turned  the  mast  end  on  against  the  Point,  and  another 
sea  striking  it  quickly  after,  it  was  driven  directly  into  the 
mouth  of  the  Cove  against  the  face  of  the  cliff.  Once  more 
Paul  leaned  over  the  precipice  with  the  lamp  in  his  hand. 
"  Are  you  all  right  ?"  he  shouted. 

"  Nearly  done,  massa,"  was  the  only  reply. 

"  Hold  on  for  a  couple  of  minutes,  and  you're  safe,"  cried 
Paul;  at  the  same  time  with  a  few  vigorous  strokes  he 
drove  the  iron  bar  deep  into  a  fissure  of  the  rock.  Taking 
a  round  turn  of  the  rope  upon  the  bar,  he  slipped  a  noose 
between  Ned's  legs.  "  Now  Ned,  my  boy,  prove  yourself 
a  man ;  all  depends  on  you ;  take  this  spare  rope  with  you 
while  I  lower  you  down,  and  secure  it  round  the  poor  fel- 


(56  CAST    UP  BY   THE  tiEA. 

low's  body.  Mind  yourself  when  you  get  near  the  mast 
that  you  don't  get  jammed,  and  halloo  to  me  when  you're 
all  right." 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  Ned  fell  upon  his  knees 
and  hands,  and  crawling  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff  he  grasped 
the  tightened  rope,  and,  as  Paul  slacked  it  off  rapidly,  in  a 
few  seconds  he  was  swinging  in  the  air  descending  quickly 
to  the  rescue. 

The  noise  of  the  waves  increased  as  he  drew  nearer  to 
the  water.  "I'm  coming!  Cheer  up  !"  he  shouted  to  the 
person  below,  whom  he  could  presently  distinguish  as  a 
dark  object  clinging  to  the  cross-trees  of  the  mast;  this 
was  so  frequently  and  violently  driven  against  the  cliff  as 
to  render  it  impossible  for  him  to  reach  the  man  in  distress. 
Accordingly,  when  only  a  few  feet  above  the  water,  he  shout 
ed  to  Paul,  "  Hold  hard !"  at  the  same  time  he  threw  an 
end  of  the  spare  coil  to  the  nearly  exhausted  sailor,  and  told 
him  to  make  the  loop  fast  by  putting  one  leg  through  it  and 
holding  on.  Three  times  he  threw  the  rope  without  suc 
cess,  but  on  the  fourth  time  it  was  caught,  and  in  a  few  in 
stants  it  was  properly  secured.  "  Haul  away  on  the  spare 
rope,"  he  shouted  to  Paul.  "I'm  all  right."  v;  " 

Almost  immediately  the  dark  object  was  raised  from  the 
boiling  surf,  and  swinging  in  the  air.  It  for  an  instant 
struck  against  Ned  as  it  continued  to  ascend.  "Hurrah!" 
shouted  Ned,  as  he  patted  him  on  the  shoulder  as  he  passed, 
dragged  quickly  up  the  cliff  by  the  tremendous  strength 
of  Paul's  muscles.  In  the  mean  time  Paul  worked  like  a 
machine ;  "  Take  care  of  your  hands  now  !"  he  shouted, 
"  you're  just  at  the  top  !  I'll  give  you  a  hand  over  the  cliff." 
In  another  moment  Paul  had  caught  him  by  the  wrist,  and 
dragged  him  in  safety  to  the  surface. 

"  Tank  God,  massa !  tank  God !"  said  the  dark  object,  as 
it  fell  and  clasped  Paul's  knees. 


NED    SAVES    TIM    FROM    THE    WRECK, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  69 

"  Halloo  !"  exclaimed  Paul,  as  he  held  the  lantern  to  the 
face  of  the  new  arrival ;  "  a  nigger  boy,  I  declare  !  poor  fel 
low  !  why,  he's  nearly  perished  with  cold  !  Here,  my  lad, 
give  us  a  hand,  and  help  me  to  haul  up  the  boy,  for  you  owe 
your  life  to  Ned,  who's  down  below." 

"  Look  out,  Ned  !"  cried  Paul,  "  hold  fast !  Now  haul 
away,  boy !"  and  in  a  few  minutes  Ned  arrived  safely  on 
the  top,  and  warmly  shook  the  nigger  boy  by  the  hand. 

The  young  negro  was  a  fine  lad  of  about  fourteen,  and 
he  immediately  grasped  the  hand  that  Ned  had  given  him, 
and  pressed  it  to  his  thick  lips,  while  he  endeavored  to  ex 
press  his  gratitude  in  a  few  sentences  rendered  almost  un 
intelligible  by  the  excitement. 

"  Nigger  boy  almost  gone — hear  good  massa  call ; — then 
nigger  pray  to  God,  and  hold  fast  like  de  debbel. — Then  big 
stones  come  down  from  rock,  kill  de  poor  cappen — break 
his  'ed,  all  smash  close  to  nigger  boy. — All  de  people  knock 
ed  off  de  mast  by  de  waves — only  nigger  stick  tight.  Oh, 
my  poor  cappen  !  he's  gone  !  only  cappen  love  de  nigger  boy 
— he  my  fader  and  my  moder."  At  this  painful  remem 
brance  the  boy  burst  into  a  fit  of  sobbing,  and  looking  over 
the  edge  of  the  dark  cliff  he  wished  to  descend  again,  in  the 
hope  of  finding  the  body  of  the  captain,  his  late  master. 

"It's  of  no  use,"  said  Ned;  "there's  no  one  left,  and 
nothing  can  be  done.  But  cheer  up,  lad,"  he  continued, 
"  if  the  poor  captains  dead,  my  father  and  mother  will  be 
good  to  you." 

"  Yes,"  said  Paul ;  "  come  along,  boy,  and  get  some  dry 
clothes ;  we'll  do  the  best  we  can  for  you.  Be  a  man ;  it's 
of  no  use  crying  over  the  bad  job  ;  but  if  that  isn't  a  cold 
blooded  murder  I  never  heard  of  one,  and  old  Mother  Lee 
should  swing  for  it.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  you,  Ned,  I  think 
I  should  have  chucked  her  over ;  but  I'm  glad  I  didn't,  for 
she'll  come  to  a  worse  end  if  there's  justice  in  the  world." 


70  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

They  now  cautiously  picked  their  way  among  the  loose 
stones  on  the  dangerous  path,  and  soon  arrived  at  the  cot 
tage,  where  Polly  Grey  was  anxiously  waiting  for  their  re 
turn.  The  negro  boy  was  made  comfortable  and  fed,  and 
was  shortly  snoring  upon  some  clean  straw  in  the  kitchen, 
forgetting  all  his  troubles  in  sound  sleep. 

About  two  hours  before  daybreak  a  party  of  the  coast 
guard  arrived,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Smart ;  they 
had  heard  the  guns  and  seen  the  signals  of  distress,  but  they 
were  too  late  to  see  a  vestige  of  the  cutter,  which  had  al 
ready  broken  up  and  totally  disappeared.  Not  a  soul  had 
been  saved,  with  the  exception  of  the  negro  boy.  .  ' 

It  was  hardly  light  when  they  shoved  off  from  the  beach 
in  a  skiff,  and  quickly  boarded  the  Polly,  that  was  lying 
at  anchor  and  rolling  heavily  in  the  bay.  Her  decks  had 
already  been  washed,  and  every  rope  was  in  its  place ;  the 
strictest  search  could  discern  nothing  except  a  supply  of 
provisions  and  water,  together  with  a  certain  amount  of 
pig-iron  ballast. 

"  You  don't  often  use  the  trawl-net,"  said  Captain  Smart 
to  one  of  the  Polly's  men ;  "  your  decks  are  as  clean  as  a 
man-of-war." 

"  D'ye  like  'em  dirty  ?"  replied  the  sailor,  "  cos  if  you 
do  you  must  come  along  with  us  when  we're  fishing." 

"  When's  that  ?  not  often,  I  think,"  answered  Captain 
Smart. 

"  We'll  send  up  to  the  station  and  let  you  know,"  said 
the  sulky  smuggler,  who  was  by  no  means  pleased  with  the 
visit.  "  You'll  be  safer  on  board  along  with  us  than  on  the 
King's  cutter." 

"  That's  very  likely,"  said  Captain  Smart ;  "  how  did  the 
cutter  manage  to  get  ashore  ?" 

"  It  don't  want  much  management  to  get  ashore  here  in 
a  sou'- wester,"  replied  the  dogged  sailor :  "  it  don't  want 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  71 

much  laming  on  a  dark  night  to  bump  on  the  Iron  Rock : 
even  a  King's  officer  knows  enough  for  that" 

"  What  brought  her  here  ?"  asked  Captain  Smart,  in  the 
hope  of  getting  some  account  of  the  chase. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  it  was  the  same  wind  as  brought  us 
here,"  continued  the  ill-tempered  fellow ;  "  and  sarve  her 
right  that  she's  broke  her  bones,  for  her  conduct  was  what 
I  call  ungenteel. 

"  Yer  see,  the  Polly  was  waiting  for  a  chance  to  fish  on 
a  good  bit  of  ground  that  we  knows  of,  when  up  comes  a 
cutter  with  a  fine  breeze,  and  without  more  ado  she  bangs 
a  shot  right  into  we,  that  came  so  close  between  the  captain 
and  me  that  it  knocked  the  pipe  out  of  my  mouth,  and  took 
his  cap  off. 

"  < That's  purliteness,'  says  I ;  c  praps  she's  been  edicated 
in  France,'  says  I ;  when  bang  !  comes  another  shot,  which 
luckily  missed  us. 

" '  It's  only  the  French  that  has  such  uncivil  manners,' 
says  the  captain ;  '  it's  a  privateer ;  so  we'd  better  show 
'em  the  Polly's  stern,  and  run  for  home ;  praps  we'll  meet 
with  a  King's  ship  that'll  be  a  match  for  her.' 

"  So  off  we  went,  and  the  Polly  showed  'em  the  way,  I 
can  tell  you.  Well,  it  blowed  a  gale  to  be  sure  in  a  short 
time,  just  what  the  Polly  likes,  and  we  came  in  like  a  duck 
through  night  as  dark  as  pitch ;  but  the  Polly  knows  her 
way.  Then  yer  see  it  turns  out  that  the  cutter  wasn't  a 
Frenchman,  after  all,  more's  the  pity  she  began  talking 
French  ;  so  yer  see  she  got  in  a  mess,  and  I  say  sarves  her 
right  for  her  unpoliteness  as  a  King's  ship  in  firing  at  we 
just  as  though  the  Polly  had  been  a  Frenchman  !" 

Having  delivered  himself  of  this  veracious  account,  Dick 
Stone  proceeded  to  fill  his  short  pipe,  that  had  apparently 
recovered  from  the  shock  of  the  cannon-ball,  and,  having 
struck  a  light,  he  leaned  against  the  mast,  and  shortly  be- 


72  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

came  enveloped  in  a  cloud  of  tobacco-smoke ;  nothing  would 
induce  him  to  utter  another  word. 

Joe  Smart  was  rejoiced  in  his  heart  that  his  search  had 
been  unsuccessful.  Nothing  pained  him  so  deeply  as  the 
necessity  of  acting  in  his  official  capacity  against  his  old 
friend  Paul;  but  such  stringent  orders  had  been  received 
to  keep  a  watch  over  the  proceedings  of  Sandy  Cove  that 
he  had  no  choice.  Returning  to  the  shore  *he  left  his 
men,  and  ascended  the  zigzag  path  to  visit  Paul's  cottage 
on  the  high  cliff.  The  smoke  was  already  issuing  from 
the  kitchen  chimney  as  he  arrived,  and  Paul  Grey  met  him 
at  the  door. 

"  Ha,  Joe  !"  he  said,  "  you're  up  betimes  this  morning ! 
But  I  don't  wonder ;  we  had  but  little  sleep  ourselves  last 
night." 

"  Is  no  one  saved  ?"  asked  Joe  Smart. 

"  Only  a  poor  little  nigger,"  replied  Paul,  "  and  it  was  a 
wonder  that  we  rescued  him."  He  then  narrated  the  en 
tire  adventure  faithfully  from  the  commencement ;  differing 
considerably  from  the  account  of  Dick  Stone  on  board  the 
lugger. 

While  the  two  friends  were  sitting  together  on  the  bench 
at  the  cottage  ciopr  Polly  was  preparing  breakfast.  In  the 
mean  time  Joe  Smart  took  the  opportunity  to  explain  to 
Paul  the  severity  of  the  instructions  he  had  received,  and 
to  implore  him  to  consider  the  position  in  which  not  only 
he,  but  also  his  wife,  would  be  placed  should  detection  lead 
to  their  ruin. 

But  Paul  had  his  own  private  opinion  concerning  smug 
gling  ;  he  had  persuaded  himself  that  any  tax  was  an  act 
of  oppression,  and  that  the  principles  of  free  trade  should 
be  supported  to  the  fullest  extent;  thus  no  argument  of 
Joe  Smart's  had  the  slightest  influence  upon  his  mode  of 
reasoning,  and  he  remained  obstinate  in  his  dogma  that 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  73 

every  man  had  a  right  to  supply  his  wants  from  the  cheap 
est  market,  and  that  any  impost  upon  foreign  goods  that 
had  become  the  private  property  of  an  Englishman  was  a 
direct  robbery.  He  would  not  deny  that  he  had  dealt  in 
contraband  articles ;  but  "  Never  mind  me,"  he  replied  to 
his  friend  Joe  Smart ;  "  friends  or  not,  if  you  ever  catch  the 
Polly,  don't  hesitate  to  seize  her  if  you  find  smuggled  goods 
on  board.  I'll  take  my  chance,  Joe ;  you  do  your  duty,  and 
I'll  look  after  mine.  But  now  come  in  to  breakfast,  and 
Polly  '11  give  you  such  a  cup  of  tea  as  you  won't  get  every 
day,  and  what's  more,  it  never  paid  the  Government  a 
penny." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  party  were  sitting  at  the  table. 
Polly  had  prepared  a  substantial  breakfast  of  fried  soles 
fresh  from  the  bay ;  while  a  huge  brown  loaf  and  masses 
of  bright  yellow  butter,  with  a  sturdy  joint  of  cold  beef, 
were  ready  for  the  sharp  morning  appetites. 

There  was  a  curious  contrast  in  the  fair  waving  hair  and 
the  large  blue  eyes  of  young  Ned  Grey  and  the  black  woolly 
head  and  the  dark  eyes  of  the  negro  boy  as  they  sat  together 
at  the  table ;  but  Tim,  as  the  latter  was  called,  was  looking 
his  best,  and  was  no  longer  the  miserable  half-drowned  ob 
ject  of  the  previous  night;  he  had  wash'  a  his  black  face 
with  soap  till  it  shone  like  a  well-polished  boot ;  he  was  dress 
ed  in  a  suit  of  Ned's  clothes,  and  as  he  looked  at  the  well- 
spread  table  a  grin  of  happiness  exposed  a  long  row  of  snow- 
white  teeth,  and  for  the  moment  the  affectionate  but  hun 
gry  Tim  forgot  the  loss  of  the  captain  of  the  cutter. 

Tim  was  an  abbreviation  of  Tiinbuctoo.  At  the  time 
of  our  story  the  West  India  Islands  were  the  gems  of  our 
colonies,  as  the  labor  required  for  the  plantations^^  sup 
plied  by  negro  slaves  imported  from  the  West  Coast  of  Af 
rica.  These  people  were  collected  at  various  stations  on 
the  African  coast  by  native  dealers,  who  purchased  them 

D 


74  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

for  beads,  fire-arms,  cotton  cloths,  etc.,  from  the  native 
chiefs,  who  brought  them  from,  the  interior.  As  the  whole 
of  Central  Africa  is  composed  of  separate  tribes  who  are 
constantly  at  war  with  each  other,  the  prisoners  taken  are 
invariably  retained  as  slaves  unless  they  are  sacrificed  as 
offerings  to  the  fetish  or  god  of  the  victor.  A  special  de 
mand  for  slaves  naturally  aggravates  the  existing  anarchy, 
as  every  prisoner  becomes  of  additional  value ;  thus  man- 
hunting,  although  a  natural  institution  of  Africa,  has  been 
extended  by  the  necessities  of  European  colonists.  As  the 
greater  portion  of  the  West  Coast  of  Africa  was  the  regu 
lar  slave-market  for  the  supply  of  the  French,  English,  Por 
tuguese,  and  Spanish  American  possessions,  man-hunting  be 
came  the  all  -  engrossing  profession  of  every  petty  negro 
chief ;  razzias  were  carried  into  the  very  heart  of  the  Afri 
can  continent  for  the  sole  purpose  of  kidnapping  slaves, 
who  where  exchanged  for  the  necessaries  of  the  country, 
and  handed  from  tribe  to  tribe  until  they  reached  the  agents 
of  the  coast  dealer,  who  kept  them  like  cattle  penned  in  cer 
tain  stations  until  the  arrival  of  ships  that  were  to  carry 
them  to  their  various  destinations  across  the  Atlantic.  The 
distances  from  which  these  unfortunate  people  were  march 
ed  were  almost  incredible.  They  generally  arrived  in  long 
strings,  fastened  by  leathern  thongs  from  neck  to  neck  like 
a  living  chain ;  and,  being  perfectly  ignorant  of  geography, 
they  had  no  idea  of  the  countries  through  which  they  pass 
ed  ;  but  upon  arrival  few  slaves  could  give  any  description 
of  the  route  beyond  the  simple  name  of  their  native  places 
obscured  in  the  wilderness  of  Africa.  The  sufferings  on 
the  march  were  frightful.  If  poor  women  were  footsore, 
or  broke  down  under  the  weight  of  some  burden  they  were 
forced  to  carry,  they  were  first  cruelly  beaten,  and  if  too 
weak  to  proceed  they  were  killed  by  the  blow  of  a  club  or 
the  thrust  of  a  spear  :  children  who  fell  ill  were  thrown  into 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  i     75 

the  thick  jungle,  and  left  to  die  or  to  be  devoured  by  the 
wild  beasts.  It  was  thus  that  Tim  had  been  captured  when 
about  twelve  years  old ;  and,  being  a  well-grown  and  pow 
erful  boy,  he  had  arrived  with  a  large  gang  of  slaves  in  suf 
ficiently  good  condition  to  fetch  a  high  price  at  Sierra  Leone, 
from  which  port  he  was  shipped  with  many,  others  to  Ja 
maica.  In  the  latter  colony  he  was  purchased  by  a  rich 
sugar-planter,  a  kind-hearted,  good  man,  who  would  neither 
have  harmed  an  animal  nor  human  being  ;  but  unfortunate 
ly  it  was  poor  little  Tim's  lot  to  be  handed  to  the  care  of  a 
cruel  overseer. 

For  more  than  a  year  Tim  had  led  a  life  of  bitterness ; 
not  a  day  passed  without  some  severe  lashes  of  the  whip, 
accompanied  by  the  uncalled-for  abuse  of  the  nigger-driver. 
It  was  in  vain  that  he  did  his  utmost  to  please — he  received 
nothing  but  threats  and  blows :  he  would  sometimes  steal 
away  and  hide  among  the  thick  sugar-canes,  and  think  of 
his  little  village  so  far  away  in  Africa,  and  cry  till  his 
heart  nearly  broke  when  he  thought  of  his  distant  home 
that  he  should  never  see  again,  with  his  mother,  and  the 
flock  of  goats  that  he  was  minding  in  the  forest  on  the  day 
that  he  was  stolen  away.  It  was  too  much  for  Tim,  and  he 
longed  to  die.  Once  he  had  complained  to  his  master,  who 
had  accordingly  reprimanded  the  overseer ;  but  from  that 
time  his  lot  was  even  worse  than  before,  as  the  natural  cru 
elty  of  his  tyrant  turned  to  actual  hatred.  At  length  Tim 
determined  to  run  away ;  he  knew  not  where  to  go,  but 
anywhere  was  better  than  his  present  position.  He  left 
the  plantation  one  night,  and  ran  and  walked  alternately 
until  at  sunrise,  tired  out  and  footsore,  he  reached  Port 
Royal.  A  man-of-war's  boat  was  just  pushing  off  from  the 
shore,  and  Tim  rushed  into  the  water,  and  in  a  few  broken 
words  explained  his  distress  and  implored  protection.  The 
lieutenant  who  commanded,  with  sailor  -  like  charity,  took 


76  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

him  on  board,  and  Tim  quickly  found  himself  on  a  first-class 
frigate,  which  sailed  that  day  for  England.  During  the 
voyage  Tim,  who  had  learned  to  cook  in  the  cruel  over 
seer's  service,  made  himself  useful  in  the  ship's  galley,  and 
soon  became  not  only  a  great  favorite  with  his  master,  but 
with  the  rest  of  the  crew.  A  few  days  after  quitting  Ja 
maica  the  frigate  fell  in  with  a  French  ship,  which  she  cap 
tured  after  a  severe  engagement,  during  which  Tim's  master 
(the  lieutenant)  distinguished  himself  greatly,  and  was  bad 
ly  wounded.  Tim  nursed  him  with  much  devotion  until 
their  arrival  in  England,  when  the  lieutenant  was  rewarded 
with  an  appointment  to  the  command  of  a  revenue  cutter. 
From  that  time  Tim  regarded  his  brave  and  kind-hearted 
master  with  intense  affection,  and,  having  learned* a  sailor's 
work,  he  formed  one  of  the  cutter's  crew,  of  which  he  was 
now  the  only  survivor,  the  gallant  commander  having  been 
destroyed  by  the  rock  rolled  down  upon  him  by  Mother  Lee. 

After  breakfast  was  over  he  told  this  simple  story  of  his 
career,  which  at  once  gained  him  Polly's  heartywhile  the 
bright  eyes  of  Ned  sparkled  at  his  description  of  his  adven 
tures,  more  especially  at  the  account  of  the  action  with  the 
French  ship,  when  the  brave  lieutenant  wa$  wounded.  From 
that  time  Tim  became  a  member  of  Paul  Grey's  family ;  he 
made  himself  generally  useful,  sometimes  assisting  Polly 
Grey  in  the  cooking,  but  more  frequently  he  attended  Paul 
and  Ned  in  fishing  when  the  Polly  went  upon  a  cruise,  or 
when  the  boats  pushed  out  with  the  seine-net  to  capture  a 
shoal  of  mackerel. 

Tim  did  not  forget  his  old  master.  Although  happy,  he 
had  fits  of  gloom  when  his  thoughts  wandered  back  to  that 
fatal  night  when  he  clung  to  the  drifting  mast  in  the  raging 
storm,  and  heard  those  last  manly  words  of  encouragement, 
"  Never  say  die  !  hold  fast,  my  lads  !"  before  he  lost  sight 
of  his  brave  captain  forever. 


CAST    UP  BY   TME  SEA.  77 


CHAPTER  IY. 

holidays  were  over.  Ned  Grey  had  had  a  happy 
time  during  the  past  seven  weeks  that  had  been  full 
of  adventure.  In  addition  to  the  ordinary  pleasures  of  his 
home,  and  the  occupation  of  fishing,  he  had  made  several 
voyages  to  the  coast  of  France  in  the  fast  clipper  Polly, 
and  had  escaped  two  or  three  French  cruisers  after  an  ex 
citing  chase ;  his  holidays  had  wound  up  with  the  wreck  of 
the  cutter  and  the  rescue  of  "  Nigger  Tim,"  as  he  was  now 
called,  in  Sandy  Cove. 

Ned  Grey  excelled  in  all  manly  pursuits — there  was  no 
better  swimmer  in  the  Cove,  neither  was  there  a  more  active 
sailor  or  better  fisherman ;  at  the  same  time  he  ranked  as 
high  at  school  in  the  more  serious  branches  of  education. 
No  mother  could  have  surpassed  the  fondness  of  Polly  Grey 
for  her  adopted  child,  and  she  was  now  well  repaid  for  her 
care,  not  only  in  the  physical  perfection  of  the  boy,  but  in 
the  filial  affection  that  he  returned.  She  had  taught  him 
herself  until  he  was  nine  years  old,  by  which  time  he  could 
read  and  write  fluently,  although  it  must  be  confessed  that 
his  juvenile  industry  was  less  visible  on  his  slate  and  copy 
book  than  in  his  untiring  energy  and  resources  in  setting 
lines  for  fish,  making  crab-nets  and  lobster-pots,  and  in 
catching  the  said  crabs  and  lobsters  with  which  the  rocky 
coast  abounded.  In  all  these  pursuits  he  had  been  an  apt 
pupil  of  Paul  Grey's.  But,  as  the  watchful  Parson  Jones 
had  often  warned  Polly,  the  time  had  arrived  when  he  must 
be  sent  to  school ;  therefore  she  had  to  part  with  her  much- 
loved  boy,  and  resigned  herself  to  the  solitude  of  home. 


7«  VAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Thus  Ned  had  first  gone  to  school  as  a  boarder  in  the 
house  of  Parson  Jones  when  he  was  nine  years  old.  Polly 
had  prepared  his  mind  for  his  entrance  among  his  fellows 
by  the  simple  but  stern  principles  of  morality :  that  he 
should  be  too  proud  to  tell  an  untruth,  or  to  do  a  mean 
action ;  that  he  should  be  rigidly  honorable  in  all  his  deal 
ings  ;  and  that  he  should  never  bully,  nor  allow  himself  to 
be  bullied.  With  this  advice,  which  he  never  forgot,  Ned 
parted  from  his  parents,  as  he  considered  Paul  and  Polly 
Grey,  and  went  to  school.  Although  Parson  Jones  and  his 
wife  were  the  perfection  of  kindness,  Ned  felt  the  difference 
between  home  and  school.  He  had  never  known  the  want 
of  a  mother  until  then ;  and  there  were  many  hours  when 
his  thoughts  returned  to  the  little  white  cottage  on  the  cliff, 
and  he  longed  to  feel  her  loving  arm  around  his  waist  and 
her  warm  kiss  upon  his  cheek.  Then,  as  the  scene  of  his 
d<"-ar  home  appeared,  he  would  recall  all  the  fond  words  of 
advice  that  had  fallen  from  his  mother's  lips,  and  these  he 
resolved  should  always  be  his  guide. 

Four  years  had  passed,  and  Parson  Jones  declared  that 
Ned  was  the  best  boy  in  his  school.  He  was  exceedingly 
gentle  in  his  manners,  clever  for  his  age  (he  was  just  turn 
ed  thirteen) ;  at  the  same  time  he  was  the  best  cricketer 
and  the  fastest  runner,  although  there  were  boys  several 
years  his  seniors.  With  such  qualifications  it  was  natural 
that  he  should  be  a  general  favorite  ;  but  there  was  one  ex 
ception  to  the  rule,  which  had  for  several  years  been  a  source 
of  much  annoyance  to  Ned  Grey.  The  largest  landed  pro 
prietor  in  the  neighborhood  was  a  certain  Squire  Stevens, 
whose  eldest  son  was  a  boarder  in  Parson  Jones's  school. 
This  lad  was  slightly  older  than  Ned,  to  whom  he  had,  with 
out  any  valid  reason,  taken  a  peculiar  aversion.  It  was  in 
vain  that  Ned  had  at  first  endeavored  to  win  his  friendship : 
there  was  a  jealousy  in  the  unmanly  heart  of  Jem  Stevens 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  79 

that  nothing  could  remove. .  The  fact  that  Ned  excelled 
him  in  the  various  games  of  football,  cricket,  and  others  that 
tested  the  activity  of  boys,  was  sufficient  to  make  him  an 
enemy.  Added  to  this  meanness  of  disposition,  he  was  a 
notorious  liar ;  and  had  not  Parson  Jones  hesitated  to  of 
fend  his  father,  who  was  the  great  man  of  the  parish,  he 
would  on  more  than  one  occasion  have  expelled  him  from 
the  school. 

The  holidays  being  over,  Ned  Grey  once  more  left  home 
and  returned  to  school.  It  was  only  five  miles  from  the 
Cove ;  therefore,  as  the  Polly  was  going  out  fishing,  Paul 
managed  to  put  him  and  his  trunk  on  board,  as  he  could 
land  him  within  half  a  mile  of  Parson  Jones's  house. 

"  Good-by,  Ned,"  shouted  many  voices,  as  having  taken 
leave  of  his  mother  he  descended  to  the  beach.  The  chil 
dren  ran  out  of  several  huts  to  shout  "  Good-by "  like 
wise,  and  to  shake  hands  with  Ned,  who  with  Tim's  assist 
ance  carried  his  heavy  trunk  along  the  beach  and  placed  it 
in  the  boat.  They  soon  got  on  board  the  Polly,  taking  the 
pinnaitce  in  tow ;  and  with  a  light  but  fair  breeze  they  sail 
ed  out  of  the  Cove,  and  waved  a  parting  farewell  to  Polly 
Grey,  who  stood  upon  the  terrace  on  the  cliff  watching  their 
departure. 

In  less  than  an  hour  they  landed,  and,  assisted  by  a  pow 
erful  sailor,  who  carried  his  trunk,  Ned  followed  the  well- 
known  path  up  the  cliffs,  and  shortly  arrived  at  the  village. 
It  was  a  lovely  spot.  Sheltered  in  a  deep  dell,  the  gray 
spire  of  the  old  church  rose  above  the  rich  green  foliage  of 
the  woods  ;  a  clear  rippling  stream  flowed  through  the  bot 
tom  of  the  glen,  where  Ned  had  often  caught  a  basketful  of 
small  trout  upon  a  holiday  afternoon ;  at  times  the  brook 
was  hidden  between  cliffs  of  reddish  and  gray  limestone, 
upon  which  grew  a  rich  fringe  of  underwood,  broken  at  in 
tervals  by  a  noble  oak ;  in  other  places  the  water  was  as 


SO  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

smooth  as  glass,  in  deep  black*  pools  in  some  sudden  bend 
of  the  stream,  where  the  torrent  had  hollowed  out  a  rest 
ing-place.  Crossing  a  rude  bridge,  formed  of  a  tree  felled 
across  the  brook,  Ned  passed  the  meadow  that  bordered  the 
high-road  and  arrived  at  the  church,  close  to  which  stood  the 
rectory — Dr.  Jones's  school.  It  was  a  large  gable  -  ended 
house,  with  lattice  windows,  and  was  completely  covered  with 
ivy  except  in  several  places  where  the  exuberant  growth  had 
been  checked  for  the  cultivation  of  the  myrtle  and  magno 
lia  which  were  carefully  trained  upon  the  walls.  The  gar 
den  was  beautifully  kept ;  a  small  but  rapid  stream  flowed 
through  a  large  lawn  ornamented  with  flower-beds  tasteful 
ly  arranged,  while  the  natural  undulations  of  the  ground 
were  in  some  places  levelled  into  terraces  of  fine  turf  that 
descended  to  the  rippling  brook.  Several  ancient  mulber 
ry-trees  afforded  a  delicious  shade,  beneath  which  rustic 
seats  were  arranged ;  it  was  on  one  of  these  that  Ned  had 
been  accustomed  to  sit  in  the  heat  of  the  day  and  read, 
when  Dr.  Jones  permitted  the  boys  to  enjoy  themselves  in 
his  private  grounds.  The  sailor  had  carried  his  trunk  to 
the  back  entrance,  and  Ned,  having  opened  the  garden-gate, 
advanced  quickly  along  the  approach  to  the  front  door. 
As  the  gate  clanged  when  Ned  had  closed  it  the  sound  at 
tracted  the  attention  of  a  light  and  youthful  figure  that  was 
seated  in  Ned's  favorite  spot  upon  the  lawn,  beneath  the 
spreading  branches  of  a  venerable  mulberry.  She  had  been 
reading,  but  upon  seeing  Ned  approach  she  quickly  closed 
her  book,  and  springing  up — 

"  Ah  !  Ned,"  she  exclaimed ;  "  how  you  startled  me  !  I 
was  just  reading  about  Edward  the  Black  Prince,  and  I  was 
wondering  whether  he  was  called  '  Ned  '  when  he  was  n, 
boy,  and  then  the  gate  slammed,  and  I  jumped  and  saw 
you  !" 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  startled  you,  Edith,"  said  Ned.     "  I 


CAST    Ul>  BY    THE   SEA.  «1 

didn't  know  that  you  were  here  until  thL  moment  when  I 
first  saw  you  rise  ;  pray  forgive  me." 

"  Oh  yes  !"  replied  Edith,  laughing  ;  "  it  was  no  great  sin, 
but  I'm  so  glad  you  have  come  home  again !  Papa  and  mam 
ma  will  be  so  very  glad  also,  for  you  know  you  are  their 
great  favorite.  Come  in :  I  think  papa  is  in  his  study." 

There  was  a  blush  of  pleasure  on  Edith's  lovely  face  as 
she  thus  welcomed  her  old  play-fellow,  and  led  him  toward 
the  house.  Edith  Jones  was  born  a  month  after  that  fatal 
night,  now  thirteen  years  ago,  when  Ned.  was  rescued  from 
the  sea.  She  was,  therefore,  nearly  the  same  age,  and  as 
both  her  father  and  mother  had  taken  the  warmest  interest 
in  Ned,  and  had  frequently  told  her  of  the  extraordinary 
manner  in  which  he,  a  helpless  infant,  was  saved,  she  had  re 
garded  him  with  a  tender  sympathy  ever  since  he  had  first 
entered  the  school,  when  they  were  both  children  of  nine 
years  old.  Both  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  had  treated  Ned  more 
like  one  of  their  own  family  than  an  ordinary  school-boy ; 
therefore  it  was  natural  that  Edith,  as  an  only  child,  should 
have  regarded  Ned  almost  in  the  light  of  a  brother ;  in  fact, 
as  they  now  walked  together  hand  in  hand  across  the  lawn, 
they  matched  as  though  sprung  from  the  same  parents. 
Edith  was  tall  for  her  age,  and  beautifully  formed,  while 
her  long,  waving  blonde  hair,  that  fell  in  a  dense  mass  be 
low  her  shoulders,  agreed  exactly  in  color  with  the  rich 
locks  of  the  handsome  boy  by  her  side.  She  had  the  same 
large  blue  eyes,  fine  complexion,  and  delicate  features  ;  and, 
better  than  all,  the  same  warm  heart  and  generous  disposi 
tion. 

In  a  few  minutes  they  entered  the  house,  and  upon  Edith's 
knock  at  the  study  door  being  quickly  answered,  they  en 
tered. 

"  Here's  Ned  come  back,  papa,"  said  Edith ;  "  he's  look 
ing  as  brown  as  a  gipsy,  and  so  grown,  isn't  he  ?" 

D2 


82  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

"  Ha,  ha,  Ned,  my  boy !"  exclaimed  the  delighted  school 
master,  "  I'm  very  glad  you've  come  to  us  again,  we  have 
been  quite  dull  without  you  ;  even  the  canary  won't  sing  as 
usual  when  you're  away.  How  are  your  father  and  mother  ? 
All  well,  I  hope  ?" 

Ned  having  replied,  now  gave  them  an  account  of  the 
wreck  of  the  cutter  and  the  rescue  of  the  nigger-boy,  Tim. 
Edith's  eyes  brightened  during  the  description. 

"  Where  is  he  ?"  she  presently  exclaimed.  "  Oh  Ned, 
how  I  should  like  to  see  a  black  boy !  And  does  he  love 
you  for  having  saved  him  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,"  replied  Ned.  "  I've  heard  that  niggers  don't 
feel,  but  I'm  sure  that's  not  true,  for  Tim's  as  fond  of  me  as 
possible,  although  we've  only  had  him  a  few  weeks,  and  he 
loves  father  and  mother  like  a  dog." 

"Like^a  dog /"  exclaimed  Edith;  "but  is  he  not  like 
us  ?  Is  he  not  better  than  a  dog  in  his  affection  ?"  asked 
the  hesitating  girl. 

At  this*  moment  there  was  a  rush  against  the  half -closed 
door;  in  another  instant  it  burst  open, and  a  large  black 
Newfoundland  dog,  bounding  into  the  room,  at  once  recog 
nized  Ned,  and,  springing  toward  him,  it  almost  knocked 
him  down  as  it  placed  its  fore-paws  on  his  shoulders  and  at 
tempted  to  lick  his  face. 

"  Ah,  Nero  !     Down  !  down !"  cried  Edith. 

"  Poor  fellow  !"  said  Ned,  as  he  returned  the  dog's  ca 
ress,  and  patted  his  silky  sides  and  neck ;  "  don't  drive 
him  away.  Nero,  my  boy,  how  did  you  know  that  I  was 
here  again  ?"  said  Ned,  as  he  affectionately  hugged  the  faith 
ful  dog.  "  I  wish  all  people  were  as  good  as  dogs,"  said 
Ned.  "  I  believe  Tim  is ;  and  both  Tim  and  Nero  are  niggers, 
for  they're  both  the  same  color,  only  Nero's  not  so  woolly." 

"  Well,"  said  Edith,  half  convinced ;  "  Nero  loves  me 
dearly  too,  don't  you,  Nero  ?  Nobody  loves  me  so  well  as 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  83 

you,  Nero,  do  they,  old  boy  ?"  This  she  said  as  she  caught 
the  dog  by  both  his  ears,  and  looked  lovingly  in  his  face. 

Somehow  Ned  blushed  deeply  as  he  was  about  to  make 
some  remark,  which  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of 
Edith's  mother. 

Mrs.  Jones  was  a  good-looking  woman  of  about  thirty- 
eight.  There  was  a  great  excitement  in  her  manner  as  she 
merely  shook  hands  warmly  with  Ned,  and  then  addressed 
her  husband. 

"  My  dear,  you're  wanted  immediately ;  there's  a  terrible 
affair.  Really  that  boy  Stevens  must  be  expelled;  he  has 
nearly  or  quite  killed  little  Norris.  They  had  a  quarrel, 
and  he  has  stabbed  him  with  a  knife !" 

In  an  instant  Dr.  Jones  left  the  room  accompanied  by  all 
present,  and  upon  arriving  at  the  school-room  they  found 
a  crowd  of  boys  around  the  wounded  boy,  who  had  fainted 
from  loss  of  blood,  and  was  lying  on  the  floor,  while  a  tutor 
supported  his  head.  The  doctor,  who  lived  close  by,  had 
already  been  sent  for,  but  before  he  arrived  young  Norris 
had  revived,  as  the  usual  remedies  of  cold  water  and  smell 
ing-salts  had  produced  an  effect.  In  the  mean  time  the  cul 
prit,  Jem  Stevens,  who  had  been  disarmed  by  the  other  boys, 
stood  sulkily  in  a  corner  with  his  arms  pinioned  behind  him. 
He  was  an  ill-looking  fellow,  very  pale  and  freckled,  with  a 
quantity  of  tightly-curling,  sandy  hair;  his  features  were 
coarse,  and  the  expression  of  his  large  mouth,  with  exceed 
ingly  thin  lips,  was  peculiarly  forbidding  ;  he  was  tall,  but 
clumsily  made,  and  his  general  appearance  was  far  from 
prepossessing.  The  doctor  quickly  arrived,  and  happily 
pronounced  the  wound  to  be  trifling,  although  the  hemor 
rhage  had  been  alarming.  The  blade  of  the  knife  had  en 
tered  the  shoulder,  and  had  fortunately  been  stopped  by  the 
bone. 

"  Now,  then,"  said  the  doctor,  as  he  strapped  the  wound 


84  VAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

tightly  together  with  plaster,  "  as  Horace  says,  '  Jam  satis 
terris  nivis ' — '  Now  we've  had  enough  of  knives]  and  as 
Virgil  says,"  he  added,  looking  sternly  at  Jem  Stevens, 
"  Arma  virumque  cano  !' — ''Cane  him  on  the  arms  and  the 
rump !' " 

It  was  seldom  that  Dr.  Jones  had  recourse  to  corporal 
punishment,  therefore  whenever  such  a  course  was  absolute 
ly  necessary  it  had  ten  times  the  ordinary  effect  as  an  exam 
ple.  But  on  this  occasion  he  considered  it  to  be  his  duty ; 
accordingly  he  now  appeared  with  the  cane,  and  he  called 
upon  Stevens  to  stand  in  the  middle  of  the  room. 

"  I  didn't  do  it,  sir,'  faltered  the  cowardly  fellow.  "  I  was 
cutting  a  stick  when  Norris  tried  to  snatch  it  from  me,  and 
he  fell  against  the  knife." 

This  was  quickly  proved  to  be  a  complete  falsehood,  and 
the  cane  was  about  to  descend  with  extra  warmth  for  the 
lie  when  the  wounded  boy  Norris  interceded  in  his  behalf, 
and  endeavored  to  save  him  from  punishment.  He  was 
quickly  joined  in  his  petition  by  Edith,  and  for  the  mo 
ment  the  school-master's  arm  was  arrested. 

"  James  Stevens,"  he  said,  "  I  regret  to  say  you  are  a 
disgrace  to  your  family  and  to  this  school.  I  have  pardon 
ed  many  of  your  faults,  and  I  have  corrected  others,  trust 
ing  that  you  would  improve;  but  after  nearly  five  years" 
trial  you  have  ended  in  an  act  of  cowardice,  cruelty,  and  in 
falsehood.  I  have  little  hope  of  you,  but  I  give  you  your 
own  choice.  Will  you*  receive  a  severe  chastisement,  and 
then  ask  pardon  of  the  boy  you  have  injured,  and  endeavor 
to  improve  during  this  half  year,  or  will  you  rather  be  ex 
pelled  the  school  at  once  ?" 

"I  hate  the  school,"  said  the  sullen  coward,  "and  I'd 
rather  leave  !" 

A  yell  of  contempt  burst  from  the  crowd  of  boys,  while 
the  good  Dr.  Jones  grew  pale  with  emotion  at  the  thought 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  tiEA.  85 

of  this  lamentable  result  after  all  .the  care  he  had  bestowed 
on  the  wretched  boy. 

"  Untie  his  arms,"  said  he.  "  Go,  Stevens,  to  your  room, 
and  at  once  pack  up  your  things  while  I  write  to  your  fa 
ther." 

The  culprit  left  the  room  amid  the  general  hissing  of 
his  comrades,  in  which  Ned  Grey  and  little  Norris  were  the 
only  two  who  did  not  join.  In  the  mean  time  Edith  had 
also  disappeared,  while  Dr.  Jones  sorrowfully  retired  to  his 
study  to  write  the  final  letter  to  Squire  Stevens  of  Heron 
Hall. 

Jem  Stevens  quickly  packed^up  his  clothes,  and  dogged 
ly  determined  that,  when  the  fly  should  come  to  the  door, 
he  would  depart  without  taking  leave  of  any  one.  Accord 
ingly,  having  prepared  his  things,  he  descended  to  the  gar 
den,  and  entered  the  shrubbery  as  he  imagined  unseen ;  in 
this  he  was  mistaken,  for  he  had  been  watched  by  twro  per 
sons,  who,  although  unconscious  of  each  other's  presence, 
were  actuated  by  the  same  feelings.  Edith  quickly  follow 
ed  him.  She  hoped  to  soften  his  hard  heart,  and  to  per 
suade  him  to  ask  her  father's  pardon  and  to  be  friends  with 
little  Norris. 

Ned  Grey  had  no  idea  that  Edith  had  such  an  intention, 
and  although  if  he  had  an  enemy  in  the  world  Jem  Stevens 
was  the  person,  he  was  generously  determined,  if  possible, 
to  persuade  him  to  act  like  a  boy  of  honor,  and  to  apologize 
and  receive  the  punishment  in  a  marfly  manner.  As  Ned 
followed  in  the  direction  where  Stevens  had  disappeared, 
he  started  at  seeing  the  figure  of  Edith  for  one  moment  as 
she  vanished  among  the  trees.  She  was  evidently  search 
ing  for  Jem  Stevens* 

Now  it  would  be  difficult  to  explain  why,  but  the  fact 
remained  that  Ned  did  not  like  to  hear  Edith  intercede 
with  her  father  so  warmly  for  Stevens  when  he  was  about 


86  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

to  be  flogged ;  and  now  that  he  had  caught  sight  for  an  in 
stant  of  her  pretty  figure  hurrying  in  the  direction  that 
Stevens  had  taken,  a  bitter  feeling  seized  upon  his  heart, 
which  beat  double  time  at  that  same  moment. 

"  Why  should  Edith  take  so  much  interest  in  Stevens  ? 
that  blackguard,  Jem  Stevens  ?"  as  he  could  not  help  mut 
tering  aloud,  as  he  now  angrily  followed  through  the  thick 
shrubbery.  He  heard  voices  close  to  him,  on  the  other  side 
of  a  clump  of  trees:  before  he  could  appear  in  view  he 
heard  Jem  Stevens  rudely  reply  to  Edith : 

"  I  wish  the  knife  had  been  through  Ned  Grey's  ribs  !" 

In  an  instant  he  rushed  through  the  bushes,  and  appear 
ed  on  the  small  lawn  upon  which  Edith  and  Stevens  were 
standing. 

"  Through  Ned's  ribs,  you  cowardly  brute  !"  cried  Ned, 
as  in  the  same  instant  he  threw  off  his  jacket  and  waist 
coat.  "  You  may  try  those  tricks  on  poor  little  Norris, 
but  not  on  me,  you  coward.  Now  come  on ;  and  Edith, 
you  stand  on  one  side,"  said  Ned,  in  a  voice  so  stern  and  so 
different  to  the  soft  tone  to  which  she  was  accustomed,  that 
the  tears  started  to  her  eyes. 

"  Off  with  your  coat !"  shouted  Ned  to  Jem  Stevens, 
who  did  not  appear  very  impatient  for  the  fray ;  however, 
in  another  minute  the  two  boys  stood  in  sparring  attitude, 
opposed  to  each  other.  Stevens  was  the  heavier  of  the 
two,  and  equally  tall,  but  there  was  a  superior  activity  in 
Ned  that  made  up  for  his  inferiority  in  weight ;  both  were 
fair  boxers,  and  the  fight  began  with  a  considerable  amount 
of  skilL  Although  Ned  was  angrily  earnest  he  did  not 
lose  his  temper,  and  he  walked  round  his  antagonist,  coolly 
waiting  for  his  opportunity.  With  his  left  hand  well  for 
ward  and  his  right  ready,  and  keeping  steady  time  with 
each  step,  as  Stevens  with  great  caution  kept  on  the  defen 
sive,  Ned  suddenly  made  a  feint  with  his  left  which  Stevens 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  87 

attempted  to  stop,  at  the  same  moment  he  received  a  heavy 
blow  with  Ned's  right  in  the  chest  that  sent  him  reeling 
backward.  Without  a  moment's  loss  of  opportunity  Ned 
followed  him  up  with  a  heavy  left-hander  straight  between 
the  eyes,  that  fairly  knocked  him  down.  Stevens's  cold 
blood  was  now  heated,  and  springing  from  the  ground  he 
rushed  forward  utterly  regardless  of  science,  and  with  his 
head  down,  protected  by  his  bended  arm,  he  closed  with  a 
swingjing  right-handed  hit  that  unfortunately  caught  Ned 
upon  the  ear,  and  sent  him  reeling,  and  for  the  instant  half 
stunned,  upon  one  side.  Stepping  back  with  consummate 
coolness  and  dexterity,  with  both  hands  well  forward  on 
guard,  Ned  waited,  and  defended  himself  until  he  lost  the 
buzzing  sound  in  his  ears,  and  recovered  from  the  serious 
blow. 

"  Stop !"  cried  Edith.  "  Ned !  Stevens  !  dear  Ned  !"  she 
cried,  "  do  stop — that's  enough — for  my  sake,  Ned  !" 

At  this  appeal  Ned  looked  on  one  side  fondly  at  the 
peace-maker ;  but,  taken  off  his  guard  for  that  instant,  he 
received  a  crushing  hit  from  his  opponent  straight  in  the 
face. 

"  Don't  talk  now,  Edith,"  he  replied,  "  till  I've  polished 
this  fellow  off !"  and,  rendered  doubly  steady  and  deter 
mined  by  the  blow  that  stung  him,  he  lashed  out  left  and 
right,  after  stopping  a  wild  attempt  from  Stevens ;  both 
blows  told,  and  Stevens  staggered  several  paces  backward, 
but,  profiting  by  his  first  success,  he  again  guarded  his 
bowed  head  with  his  bended  arm,  and  rushed  in  with  great 
fury,  once  more  delivering  a  swingeing  right-hander.  Ned 
sprang  quickly  on  the  right,  and  met  him  with  an  upward 
cut  with  the  left  exactly  on  the  nose :  at  the  same  instant 
he  turned,  and  floored  him  with  a  right-handed  blow  on  the 
ear.  Jem  Stevens  lay  upon  the  ground  thoroughly  beaten. 

"  Get  up  !"  cried  Ned,  "  don't  cry  craven  yet !"  but  Ste- 


88  CAST   UP  BY   THE  HJL'A. 

vens  only  replied  by  sitting  upon  the  grass,  and  allowing 
the  drops  to  fall  from  his  bruised  nose. 

"  Do  you  give  in  ?"  said  Ned ;  "  if  not,  get  up  and  finish 
it  like  a  man." 

"  Ned,  that's  enough :  he's  beaten  !"  cried  Edith ;  but  at 
those  words  from  her  even  Jem  Stevens's  soul  was  aroused, 
and  starting  suddenly  up  he  rushed  desperately  at  Ned  with 
his  head  down.  Ned  this  time  stepped  quickly  on  the  left, 
meeting  him  with  a  sharp  right-handed  blow,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  caught  him  round  the  neck  with  his  left  arm, 
and  secured  his  head  in  the  unpleasant  position  that  is  known 
by  the  name  of  "  chancery,"  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  prop 
erty  must  be  seriously  damaged  before  it  can  escape  from 
the  Court.  A  sharp  dig  with  Ned's  right  in  the  face  of 
Stevens  was  quickly  followed  by  a  cry,  "1  give  in !"  Ned 
released  him.  The  fight  was  over.  At  this  time  the  sound 
of  wheels  was  heard  as  the  fly  arrived  that  was  to  take  Jem 
Stevens  from  the  school. 

Both  boys  were  disfigured  by  the  fight.  Ned  had  no 
marks  that  could  not  be  immediately  removed  by  soap  and 
water;  but  Stevens  had  a  pair  of  swollen  eyes  that  would 
be  perfectly  black  in  a  few  hours. 

"  I'm  sorry  for  it,  Stevens,"  said  Ned,  as  he  advanced  and 
offered  him  his  hand.  "  We've  had  a  fight  once  before,  and 
I  had  hoped  that  we  had  made  it  up ;  but  don't  let  us  part  as 
enemies  now  that  you  must  leave  school." 

"  That's  right,  Ned, "  said  Edith,  who  had  picked  up  his 
jacket  and  waistcoat  from  the  ground ;  "  shake  hands  to 
gether  and  make  up,  and  go  and  wash  your  faces.  Now, 
Stevens,  it  is  not  too  late ;  be  friends,  and  go  and  ask  par 
don  of  papa ;  I'm  sure  it  may  be  all  mended  even  now." 

For  an  instant  Jem  Stevens  regarded  the  lovely  Edith 
as  though  he  hesitated  in  his  decision,  but  his  evil  disposi 
tion  overcame  the  first  good  impulse.  He  replied,  sullenly, 


TH  E    FIG  HT. 


UNIVERSITY 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  8EA.  91 

"  No,  Edith  !  I  love  you,  but  I  hate  the  school ;  and  I 
hate  you,  Ned  Grey,  forever  !"  he  added,  as  he  looked  spite 
fully  at  the  fine,  generous  countenance  of  his  conqueror. 
If  Ned  had  been  beaten  in  the  fight  he  would  not  have  felt 
so  hurt  as  he*  now  did  when  his  friendly  hand  was  thus,  con 
temptuously  spurned. 

"  Come  away,  Edith,"  he  said.  "  Dr.  Jones  will  be  very 
angry,  but  I'll  take  the  blame ;  if  Stevens  won't  be  friends 
I  am  sorry  for  it,  but  it's  not  my  fault."  Ned  then  put  on 
his  jacket  and  waistcoat  that  Edith  gave  him,  and  went 
away.  Edith  lingered  for  a  moment  in  the  hope  of  yet  be 
ing  able  to  soften  Stevens ;  but  he  only  pressed  her  hand, 
and  said,  "  Good-by,  Edith ;  I  hate  every  one  but  you,  and 
sometimes  I  even  hate  you  because  you  love  Ned  Grey  bet 
ter  than  me."  Confused  by  such  a  confession,  Edith  could 
only  reply  by  a  cold  "  Good-by,  Stevens ;  I  hope  you  will 
live  to  grow  more  generous ;"  and  she  turned  sorrowfully 
homeward.  Half  an  hour  afterward  the 'noise  of  carriage- 
wheels  was  again  heard  as  the  fly  took  Jem  Stevens  and  his 
trunk  away  from  the  school. 


92  OAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  V. 

TWELVE  months  had  passed  away  since  Jem  Stevens 
was  expelled  the  school,  and  from  that  time  nothing  had 
disturbed  the  quiet  happiness  of  Parson  Jones's  flock.  As 
to  Jem  Stevens's^  career,  his  father,  the  old  squire,  had 
found  him  incorrigible ;  he  had  therefore  sent  him  to  sea 
very  shortly  after  his  disgraceful  return  from  school.  He 
was  now  a  midshipman  on  board  one  of  his  Majesty's  frig 
ates.  Ned  Grey  was  upward  of  fourteen,  and  Dr.  Jones 
had  already  advised  that  he  should  be  placed  in  a  mer 
chant's  office  in  some  great  sea-port,  in  which  capacity  he 
would  have  a  good  chance  of  improving  his  position.  To 
this  proposal  Polly  had  agreed,  as  she  wished  that  he  might 
be  brought  up  to  some  profession  that  might  eventually 
lead  to  competence.  On  the  other  hand,  Paul,  who  had 
successfully  evaded  the  revenue  authorities,  claimed  the 
active  and  adventurous  boy  as  his  own  son,  and  would  not 
yield  him  to  what  he  called  "  an  old  woman's  trade."  For 
Ned  the  position  was  extremely  perplexing.  He  could  not 
please  all  parties.  To  his  mother  he  owed  every  thing ;  to 
Dr.  Jones  much ;  to  his  father,  as  he  considered  Paul,  hard 
ly  as  much  as  others,  although  he  had  been  always  kind. 
And  then  there  was  another.  Edith  had  been  almost  a 
sister.  What  did  she  wish  him  to  do  ?  They  had  often 
walked  together  in  the  lovely  green  lanes,  and  strolled 
among  the  romantic  glens  and  cliffs  to  gather  wild  flowers, 
at  which  times  they  would  sometimes  sit  beneath  some 
shady  rock  overlooking  the  blue  sea,  while  Edith  arranged 
the  flowers  in  tasteful  nosegays.  It  was  then  that  Ned 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  93 

would  gaze  at  the  boundless  horizon,  and  his  boyish  impulse 
yearned  to  wander  far  beyond,  when  suddenly  a  change 
would  come  over  his  features  as  he  looked  at  the  lovely 
Edith,  and  thought  how  hard  it  would  be  to  separate  from 
her.  On  the  other  hand,  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  de 
fine  Edith's  feelings ;  she  was  so  perfectly  innocent  and  yet 
loving,  that  she  had  always  looked  upon  Ned  as  one  that  was 
inseparably  connected  with  her  parents  and  herself.  The 
idea  of  his  ever  belonging  to  any  one  else  had  never  been 
suggested  to  her  imagination.  They  had  grown  up  to 
gether  for  years  without  the  slightest  restriction  placed 
upon  their  intimacy ;  and,  now  that  they  were  approaching 
the  age  of  fifteen,  for  the  first  time  the  warning  had  been 
given  her  that  Ned  would  have  to  part. 

It  was  a  calm  Sunday  evening  in  August.  The  sun  was 
low  and  constantly  shaded  by  fleecy  clouds  that  travelled 
slowly  across  the  disc.  There  was  hardly  any  perceptible 
breeze.  The  cattle  stood  or  lay  lazily  in  the  meadows,  and 
all  Nature  appeared  to  enjoy  the  calm  rest  of  the  Sabbath. 
The  afternoon  service  had  been  concluded  for  about  an  hour, 
and  the  usual  throng  of  idlers  that  were  wont  to  congregate 
and  chat  at  the  church-door  had  retired  to  their  respective 
homes,  and  the  church-yard  appeared  forsaken.  It  was  not 
entirely  deserted.  There  were  two  figures  sitting  on  the 
greensward,  within  a  few  feet  of  a  stone  in  the  form  of  a 
cross.  Upon  this  cross  was  written,  "  A  lady  unknown,  aged 
about  twenty-two.  Cast  up  by  the  sea  at  Sandy  Cove." 

"  How  sad  this  always  seems  to  me  !"  said  Ned.  "  Poor 
lady,  only  twenty-two  !  I  wonder  who  she  was  ?  Even 
her  name  was  unknown  ;  perhaps  she  had  a  husband  who 
may  even  now  be  alive,  and  be  grieving  for  his  lost  wife 
without  knowing  what  became  of  her;  perhaps,"  added 
Ned,  thoughtfully,  "  she  had  a  child,  who  lost  its  mother, 
and  will  never  know  where  she  lies  !" 


94  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

"I  have  always  heard,"  said  Edith,  ""that  this  poor  lady 
was  a  beautiful  person,  who  was  wrecked  and  drowned. 
Papa  recollects  having  seen  her,  and  he  has  told  me  how 
lovely  she  looked  when  she  was  brought  to  shore,  and  he 
saw  her  lying  dead,  as  pale  as  marble,  and  almost  covered 
with  her  long,  fair  hair.  You  were  wrecked  too,  Ned, 
when  you  were  a  little  baby,"  continued  Edith ;  "  at  least, 
I  have  heard  so." 

"  I  don't  think  it  is  true,"  said  Ned.  "  Some  people 
have  told  me  so,  but  my  mother  must  know  best;  and 
when.  I  have  asked  her  she  has  only  pressed  me  in  her 
arms,  and  asked  me  if  I  wish  for  any  other  mother ;  there 
can  not  be  a  dearer  one  than  she." 

Edith  and  Ned  had  been  working  a  wreath  of  flowers 
upon  a  circle  of  ivy ;  the  evening  was  darkening.  "  Give 
me  that  wreath,  Edith,"  said  Ned,  "  if  you  don't  want  it. 
I  should  like  to  hang  it  upon  that  cross,  it  seems  so  deso 
late.  That  cold  inscription, e  Unknown,  cast  up  by  the  sea,' 
chills  me  to  the  heart.  To  think  that  she  should  lie  here, 
so  utterly  forsaken !" 

"  Let  us  clean  that  moss  from  the  stone  before  we  ar 
range  the  wreath,"  said  Edith.  "  I  wish  we  had  some  ever 
lastings,  as  those  flowers  will  so  quickly  fade." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  wreath  hung  upon  the  cross. 

"  Shall  we  always  attend  to  this  ?"  asked  Edith. 

"  I  shall  be  gone,"  sighed  Ned,  "  but  you  will  remain  at 
home.  Perhaps,  Edith,  you  will  forget  it ;  and — you  may 
forget  me  also — I  may  not  see  you  for  years  ;  and,"  contin 
ued  Ned,  hesitating, "  you  may  some  day  marry  before  I 
shall  return ;  and  we  may  never  meet  again." 

"  Marry  !  marry !  did  you  say,  Ned  ?  how  could  I  marry 
if  you  go  away?  who  should  I  marry  if  you  forsake  me, 
Ned  ?  I  would  rather  die,  and  lie  somewhere  here  next  to 
this  lonely  grave ;  and  then  if  ever  you  should  come  back 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA\  95 

again,  you  might  perhaps  come  here,  and  think  how  we 
once  sat  here  together,  and  you  might  make  a  wreath  for 
me  like  that  we  have  now  hung  upon  this  cross." 

"  I'll  never  marry  any  one  but  you,  Edith,  if  you  will  have 
me,"  answered  Ned ;  "  but  first  I  must  work  to  earn  a  live 
lihood,  for  I  could  not  see  you  in  want ;  and  I  have  noth 
ing;  but  no  one  loves  you  as  I  do,  Edith." 

As  Ned  spoke  he  gazed  intently  in  Edith's  large  blue 
eyes,  and  then  suddenly  clasped  her  in  his  arms,  and  kissed 
her  unresisting  lips. 

"  Hallo,  that's  nice  goings  on !"  said  a  peculiar  hoarse 
voice  ;  "  ha,  ha  !  ha,  ha  !  Nice  goings  on  !  But  I  was  once 
young  myself,  although  you  mayn't  believe  it.  But,  Ned 
Grey,  yer'll  have  bitter  times,  and  may  be  yer'll  never  see 
the  day  so  long  as  Mother  Lee's  alive." 

"  Out,  you  old  witch  !"  cried  Ned ;  "  be  off  with  your 
croaking  tongue,  you  wicked  old  hag,  whom  I  could  hang 
for  what  I  saw  Avhen  you  stoned  the  drowning  men  !" 

"  Don't  quarrel  with  Mother  Lee,"  said  Edith,  "  she's  a 
witch,  they  say  ;  she'll  do  some  harm  after  this,"  continued 
Edith  ;  "  I  saw  her  spit  upon  the  ground  as  she  hobbled  off, 
and  she  scowled  at  us  like  a  demon." 

Mother  Lee  had  in  fact  hobbled  off,  and  as  she  retreated, 
muttering  curses,  she  clenched  her  skinny  fingers,  and  shook 
her  withered  fist  at  the  innocent  pair,  and  then  vanished 
among  the  tombstones. 

"  What  can  she  want  here  ?"  said  Ned.  "  She's  up  to 
some  mischief,  or  she  would  not  wander  so  far  from  Sandy 
Cove." 

"  Come,  Ned,"  said  Edith,  "  I  do  not  like  to  remain  on 
this  spot;  it's. getting  dusk,  and  that  horrible  old  woman 
frightens  me ;  she  may  now  be  hiding  behind  some  grave 
stone." 

As  Edith   spoke  two   dark  figures  were  seen  to  glide 


96  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

stealthily  by  on  the  other  side  of  the  church-yard ;  they  ap 
peared  to  be  men-,  but  they  were  quickly  concealed  b^  an 
intervening  hedge. 

"  Come  home,  Ned,"  said  Edith,  "  it  may  be  foolish,  but 
I  have  a  curious  feeling  of  uneasiness  that  I  never  felt  be 
fore — a  kind  of  dreadful  foreboding  of  misfortune.  God 
grant  that  it  may  be  only  my  weakness,  but  that  horrible 
old  woman  has  chilled  me  through  and  through!"  She 
seized  Ned's  arm,  and,  trembling  in  every  limb,  she  hasten 
ed  toward  her  home. 

"  I  must  run  over  to  the  Cove  to-night,"  said  Ned.  "  Dr. 
Jones  gave  me  permission  to  spend  a  day  at  home,  to  talk 
over  the  future  with  my  father  and  mother,  and  I  promised 
to  be  there  this  evening ;  but  I  will  see  you  safe  at  home 
first,  Edith." 

"  Oh  Ned,  don't  go  to-night,"  exclaimed  the  nervous 
girl.  "  I  don't  know  why,  but  I  feel  that  something's  com 
ing.  I  am  certain — yes,  positive — that  something  dreadful 
is  hanging  over  us ;  don't  go  until  to-morrow,  Ned !" 

"  This  is  foolish,  Edith,"  replied  Ned.  "  Why,  how  is 
this  ?  You  who  are  so  brave,  you  are  frightened  at  old 
Mother  Lee?  Shake  off  this  silly  feeling.  Never  give 
way  to  nervousness :  it  grows  upon  one  if  indulged  in.  Do 
you  think  I  am  so  weak  that  I  could  not  defend  you  from 
an  old  woman  ?" 

Edith  felt  abashed,  and,  clutching  Ned's  arm,  with  rapid 
steps  she  soon  reached  the  rectory.  Ned  hastily  said 
"  Good-by,"  and  taking  a  small  bundle  slung  upon  his  stick 
he  set  off  at  a  trot  toward  the  Cove.  It  was  just  early 
night,  but  the  moon  was  nearly  full,  and  Ned  could  easily 
run  the  five  or  six  miles  within  the  hour.  As  he  left  the 
rectory  Nero  came  bounding  after  him,  and  seeing  him  run 
the  dog  considered  that  he  was  in  pursuit  of  some  object, 
and  accordingly  followed  him,  sometimes  running  on  in  ad- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  97 

vance.  Presently  Nero  gave  a  short  bark,  and  growling 
fiercely  he  returned  to  Ned  with  his  hair  bristled  up,  look 
ing  angry  and  yet  frightened. 

"  What  is  it,  old  boy  ?"  said  Ned ;  "  go  at  it,  Nero  !" 

The  dog  did  not  fly  forward,  as  was  his  custom  at  such 
a  command,  but  he  walked  a  few  paces  in  advance,  and  sud 
denly  dashed  back  again  to  Ned,  giving  at  the  same  time  a 
sharp  bark,  followed  by  a  deep  growl,  as  a  curious  shadow 
like  the  figure  of  an  old  woman  with  a  long  stick  glided 
along  the  clean  surface  of  the  ground  in  the  clear  moonlight. 
Ned  for  the  moment  felt  a  chilly  sensation  creeping  over 
him;  but  recovering  quickly  he  rushed  forward  with  the 
dog,  but  nothing  was  visible,  and  Nero,  refusing  to  search, 
would  only  keep  resolutely  at  his  master's  heel. 

"  The  dog's  bewitched,"  exclaimed  Ned.  "  That  shadow 
looked  like  old  Mother  Lee ;  but  perhaps  it  was  only  the 
shadow  of  a  cloud  crossing  the  moon." 

With  this  assurance  Ned  trotted  on,  followed  by  the 
dog,  and  without  any  adventure  he  reached  his  parent's  cot 
tage  on  the  cliff  at  Sandy  Cove.  He  was  greeted  with  the 
accustomed  warmth  of  welcome  from  Polly  Grey  and  the 
nigger  Tim.  The  latter  was  much,  grown,  and  was  a  fine 
strong  lad.  But  Paul  was  not  at  home ;  he  had  sailed  about 
an  hour  before  Ned's  arrival  upon  some  sudden  and  unex 
pected  errand.  Tim,  who  was  slightly  unwell,  had  been 
left  behind. 

Before  retiring  to  rest  Ned  had  confided  to  his  mother 
his  boyish  love  for  Edith,  with  all  the  youthful  hopes  and 
fears  that  attended  his  uncertain  future.  From  many  little 
expressions  that  she  had  frequently  remarked  Polly  Grey 
had  almost  suspected  that  he  was  too  fond  of  his  old  play 
fellow,  but,  her  experience  having  taught  her  that  a  boy's 
heart  was  easily  cured  of  love's  wound,  she  had  attached 
but  little  importance  to  the  fact ;  however,  she  now  received 

E 


98  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

his  confession  with  maternal  tenderness.  At  the  same  time 
with  much  judgment  she  cautioned  him  of  the  many  diffi 
culties  that  lay  in  his  career,  and  yet  gave  him  hope  that 
Edith  might  some  day  become  a  prize  when  he  should  have 
earned  her  by  such  industry  as  would  raise  him  to  a  po 
sition  worthy  of  her. 

Ned  went  to  sleep  that  night  without  a  fear.  As  he  laid 
his  head  upon  his  pillow  Edith's  image  was  in  his  mind, 
and  in  his  dreams  life  seemed  to  hurry  through  each  suc 
cessive  stage,  until  he  again  stood  hand  in  hand  with  her, 
who  then  belonged  to  him.  All  was  bright — a  happiness 
that  was  indescribable  pervaded  his  heavenly  vision.  Could 
such  love  only  last,  such  beauty  as  was  painted  in  his  sleep, 
what  other  heaven  could  he  wish?  But  the  magic  touch 
of  sleep  is  most  inconstant.  Presently  the  bright  image 
began  to  fade;  a  mist  obscured  the  fairy-like  form  with 
which  he  had  been  wandering  through  infinite  space.  The 
scene  grew  gloomy,  then  dark ;  he  was  among  cliffs  and 
precipices ;  there  was  a  roar  of  angry  waves  deep  beneath 
him,  but  he  could  not  see  ;  he  could  only  feel  the  warm  soft 
hand  that  he  guided  on  the  dangerous  path.  Ha !  his  foot 
slipped !  he  lost  the  hand  !  one  desperate  clutch,  and  again 
he  held  it  fast,  but  it  was  cold  and  bony ;  it  felt  as  skinny 
as  an  eagle's  foot.  The  moon  now  rose  blood-red,  and 
he  could  see ;  but  he  led  not  his  Edith :  it  was  the  horrible 
hand  of  old  Mother  Lee  that  was  in  his  grasp.  "Ha! 
ha !  ha  !"  sang  in  his  startled  ears  as  he  felt  a  sudden 
push ;  he  overbalanced  from  the  precipice,  and  fell — down ! 
down !  down !  always  falling,  with  the  roar  of  water  be 
low,  in  the  darkness  and  the  blood-red  moon ;  at  length  a 
crash  !  and  he  awoke.  He  was  in  bed  in  his  mother's  cot 
tage.  It  was  about  half  past  four  in  the  morning;  and, 
feverish  with  the  bewildering  dream  that  he  could  not  at 
once  shake  off,  he  rose  and  dressed  himself,  and  calling  Tim, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  99 

who  was  quickly  ready,  he  sought  the  fresh  air  of  the  sea- 
beach. 

The  tide  was  low,  therefore  upon  reaching  the  bottom 
of  the  cliff  they  could  walk  some  miles  upon  the  rocky 
beach.  Nero  had  accompanied  the  two  boys,  and,  delight 
ed  with  the  opportunity,  he  dashed  into  the  sea,  and  amused 
himself  with  bringing  mouthfuls  of  long  sea-weed  to  the 
shore. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  invigorating  sea-breeze  com 
pletely  chased  away  the  effects  of  Ned's  miserable  dream, 
and  he  had  regained  his  usual  spirits.  They  had  strolled 
about  two  miles,  when  Ned  suggested  that  it  was  time  to 
return  for  breakfast,  as  they  were  far  from  home.  Just  at 
that  moment  they  turned  the  corner  of  a  projecting  cliff, 
on  the  other  side  of  which  was  a  small  sandy  beach  that 
formed  one  of  the  few  landing-places  along  the  rock-bound 
coast.  Upon  the  sand,  but  half  afloat,  lay  a  large  boat,  in 
which  were  two  or  three  men,  while  reclining  on  the  beach 
was  a  party  of  twelve  sailors ;  these  men  were  dressed  in 
blue  shirts  and  trowsers,  and  evidently  belonged  to  a  ship 
of  war  that  was  standing  off  the  shore,  about  six  miles  dis 
tant.  The  loud  barking  of  Nero  at  once  attracted  the  at 
tention  of  the  party. 

"  Good-morning,  youngsters,"  said  a  good-natured,  stout- 
looking  fellow,  in  a  lieutenant's  uniform ;  "  what's  brought 
you  here?" 

Ned  explained  that  they  had  merely  strolled  in  that  di 
rection,  without  any  particular  object,  and  were  now  about 
to  return  to  Sandy  Cove. 

"  We'll  give  you  a  lift,"  said  the  lieutenant,  "  we  may  as 
well  go  to  the  Cove  as  stay  here.  Come  along,  my  lads ; 
shove  the  boat  off !"  And  before  Ned  had  time  to  reply, 
he  found  himself  surrounded  by  the  party,  who  had  taken 
his  acceptance  of  their  offer  for  granted.  "  Jump  in,"  said 


100  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

the  lieutenant,  as  they  pushed  the  boat  off  the  sand.  "  Never 
mind  the  dog,  he  can  find  his  way  back."  But  Nero  had 
no  idea  of  being  left  behind,  he  therefore  sprang  into  the 
boat,  and  took  his  place  by  Ned,  dripping  with  water. 

The  lieutenant  sat  in  the  stern,  but  instead  of  steering 
for  Sandy  Cove  he  kept  the  boat's  head  in  a  direct  line  for 
the  ship  of  war  in  the  offing ;  while  the  steady  stroke  of 
eight  oars  rapidly  increased  their  distance  from  the  land. 

"  That's  the  way  to  France,  and  not  to  Sandy  Cove !" 
said  Ned,  who  began  to  be  suspicious. 

"  Never  mind,  young  fellow ;  you  hold  your  tongue," 
said  a  sailor ;  "  we  know  our  way  better  than  you  can  tell 
us." 

"  You  seem  to  be  a  bit  of  a  sailor,"  said  the  lieutenant. 

"  I  know  how  to  handle  a  lugger,"  replied  Ned ;  "  but 
I've  never  sailed  on  any  other  craft  than  my  father's." 

"  Oh !  you  are  a  real  sailor,  are  you  ?  That's  right, 
then,  we'll  soon  make  a  man  of  you  on  board  the  frigate. 
You  can  see  Sandy  Cove  at  any  time ;  but  it  isn't  every 
day  that  you  can  see  such  a  ship  as  the  SyMlle  /" 

The  truth  now  flashed  upon  poor  Ned :  he  was  entrapped 
by  a  press-gang,  and  kidnapped  into  the  King's  service. 
The  blood  rushed  to  his  face  as  the  thought  struck  him, 
and  the  next  instant  he  turned  deadly  pale  as  he  thought  of 
his  mother  and  of  Edith,  who  would  not  even  guess  his 
fate,  and  whom  he  might  never  see  again.  He  turned  to 
the  lieutenant.  "  For  God's  sake  do  not  deceive  me,"  said 
Ned,  despairingly.  "  It  will  be  my  utter  ruin — my  mother 
expects  me  even  now,  there,  in  that  white  cottage  on  the 
cliff,"  continued  the  almost  heart-broken  boy,  as  he  pointed 
eagerly  to  his  little  home,  now  plainly  visible.  A  loud 
shout  of  laughter  from  the  crew  was  the  only  reply  to  this 
appeal. 

"  Jump,  Massa  Ned  !  make  a  swim  !"   cried  Tim,  who 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  8EA.  101 

had  slyly  slipped  off  his  shoes,  and  at  the  same  moment  he 
dashed  head  first  into  the  water;  but  a  powerful  hand 
seized  Ned  firmly  by  the  collar,  and  rendered  it  impossible 
for  him  to  follow  this  advice. 

"  Back-water,  all  !"  shouted  the  lieutenant  :  at  the  same 
time  he  seized  a  long  boat-hook  and  caught  Tim  by  his  col 
lar  as  he  reappeared  upon  the  surface.  Poor  Tim  was 
hauled  ignominiously  into  the  boat  like  a  black  porpoise, 
amid  a  roar  of  laughter;  and  to  prevent  any  further  at 
tempts  at  escape  his  wrists  were  secured  with  a  piece  of 
rope. 

"  You'd  better  make  up  your  mind  to  it,"  said  the  lieu 
tenant  to  Ned  ;  "  there's  many  a  lad  as  good,  and  perhaps 
better,  than  you,  who's  proud  to  serve  the  King  ;  now  you 
have  a  good  chance  without  your  own  seeking.  You  will 
be  as  happy  as  a  prince  when  you're  once  on  board." 

"  Shall  I  be  able  to  write  a  letter  home  ?"  asked  Ned, 
whose  tearful  eyes  were  straining  fixedly  at  the  white  cot 
tage  on  the  cliff  that  was  rapidly  diminishing  to  a  mere 


"  Well,  perhaps  you  may,  if  any  thing  should  detain  us. 
You  see  we  took  some  letters  ashore  this  morning,  and  left 
them  with  the  coast-guard  ;  but  we  are  bound  on  foreign 
service,  and  only  left  Plymouth  yesterday,  so  there's  not 
much  chance  for  writing." 

Poor  Ned  sat  with  his  head  resting  upon  his  hand  that 
shaded  his  aching  eyes.  Was  it  a  dream  ?  —  a  part  of  that 
disturbed  vision  of  the  past  night  ?  He  could  hardly  be 
lieve  in  the  reality  of  the  situation.  What  would  Edith 
think  of  his  mysterious  disappearance?  What  would  his 
mother  and  father  think  ?  They  would  naturally  suppose 
that  the  tide  had  overtaken  them,  and  that  both  he  and 
Tim  had  been  drowned,  as  there  was  deep  water  at  high 
tide,  and  no  footway  beneath  the  cliffs.  If  Edith  thought 


102  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

him  dead,  and  received  no  intelligence  for  years,  she  might 
marry  some  one  else  ! 

As  these  crushing  thoughts  passed  through  his  brain 
Ned  felt  as  though  his  head  was  being  pressed  within. a 
vise,  and  for  some  minutes  he  closed  his  eyes,  overpowered 
with  the  deepest  distress.  This  prostration  did  not  last 
long.  Ned  was  a  boy  of  the  most  undaunted  courage,  both 
moral  and  physical ;  his  most  tender  feelings  had  been  tor 
tured  by  an  outrage  that  he  could  not  resist,  and  he  had 
yielded  to  the  agony  of  the  first  shock ;  but  he  now  brush 
ed  his  eyes  roughly  with  his  jacket-sleeve,  and  assumed  a 
manner  of  perfect  coolness  and  determination. 

"  Don't  think  me  a  fool,  sir,"  he  said  to  the  lieutenant, 
who  had  been  calmly  watching  him ;  "  it's  all  over  now, 
and  I'll  do  my  duty,  whatever  it  may  be.  She's  a  fine-look 
ing  ship.  What  guns  does  she  mount,  sir  ?" 

"  Bravo  !  that's  your  sort,"  said  the  .lieutenant.  "  You'll 
do,  my  lad,  there's  no  fear;  you're  none  the  worse  for 
thinking  of  *your  mother  :  she'll  be  ah1  right ;  we'll  manage 
to  let  her  know  somehow  or  other,  and  you'll  bring^ter 
home  a  lapful  of  prize-money  some  fine  day.  We'll  soon 
have  a  brush  with  a  Frenchman  when  we  clear  the  coast. 
What's  your  name,  my  boy  ?" 

"  Edward  Grey,  sir ;  but  I  am  always  called  Ned." 

"  And  who  is  the  young  nigger  ?"  continued  the  lieu 
tenant. 

Ned  replied,  "  He  is  called  Tim,  sir.  He  was  wrecked, 
and  was  the  only  one  saved  of  the  crew." 

"  Yes,  sar,"  exclaimed  Tim,  who  now  broke  into  the 
conversation;  "  de  poor  nigger  Tim  nearly  dead;  then 
Massa  Ned  come  down  de  rock  like  a  monkey,  and  pull  de 
nigger  out.  Dat  a  long  time  ago,  when  my  poor  captin 
dead.  Him  swim  like  a  fish.  He  cry, '  Hold  on,  my  lads  !' 
Captin  nebber  'fraid.  Captin  cry  out,  'Nebber  say  die, 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  103 

my  boys  !'  den  a  big  rock  tummle  on  my  poor  captin's  'ed. 
Break  him  like  a  pumpkin.  Nebber  see  him  more  !" 

"  That's  a  long  story,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  "  and  I'm 
not  much  the  wiser  for  it — what's  it  all  about  ?" 

Ned  then  explained  the  catastrophe,  and  for  the  first 
time  Tim  heard  that  old  Mother  Lee  had  thrown  the  stone 
that  killed  the  unfortunate  captain.  The  effect  was  ex 
traordinary.  "  Let  me  go  !  let  me  go  !"  he  shouted,  as  he 
strove  to  release  his  hands  from  the  rope.  "  I  stick  a  knife 
in  Moder  Lee !  Oh  cuss  de  old  moder  debbel !  Why 
Tim  not  know  before  de  ole  debbel  kill  the  poor  captin  ? 
Oh  my  poor  captin !  Nebber  mind  !  One  day  Tim  stick 
a  knife  in  ole  debbejjbeast,  Moder  Lee !" 

The  lieutenant  and  crew  had  already  taken  a  more  than 
usual  interest  in  their  prisoners,  and  Tim's  excitement  had 
already  made  him  a  favorite  with  the  sailors,  especially  as 
they  witnessed  his  affection  for  his  late  captain.*  In  about 
half  an  hour  from  this  time  they  neared  the  frigate,  which 
presently  bore  down  upon  them,  and  backing  her  main-top- 
sdfehe  waited  for  the  boat.  As  they  approached  her  Ned 
could  not  help  admiring  her  beautiful  lines  and  her  taut 
spars,  with  the  numerous  guns  on  either  side  peeping  wick 
edly  from  her  open  ports.  At  this  moment  the  shrill  boat 
swain's  whistle  was  heard  as  a  rope  was  thrown  from  the 
vessel,  while  a  man  in  the  bows  of  the  boat  hooked  on  to 
the  rope-ladder  that  hung  over  the  gangway,  and  in  less 
than  a  minute  they  stood  upon  the  frigate's  deck. 

"  Take  the  lads  for'ard,"  said  the  lieutenant,  as  he  went 
to  the  quarter-deck  to  report  himself  and  the  new  arrivals 
to  the  captain.  Ned  now  found  himself  upon  the  broad 
white  decks  of  one  of  the  crack  ships  in  the  King's  service. 
There  was  no  more  gallant  captain  among  the  many  fine 
fellows  that  thronged  the  English  navy  than  Cooke,  of  the 
SyHlle;  he  was  what  the  sailors  called  a  tight  hand,  at 


104  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

the  same  time  that  he  was  the  sailor's  best  friend  by  en 
forcing  a  rigid  discipline.  Ned  was  a  sailor  ;  therefore  he 
had  no  sooner  cast  an  admiring  glance  at  the  rows  of  pol 
ished  guns,  that  shone  like  bronze  with  a  varnish  of  boiled 
oil,  and  the  ropes  all  neatly  disposed  in  Flemish  coils  upon 
the  deck,  than  his  eyes  wandered  instinctively  aloft  to  the 
immense  yards  and  the  taut  rigging  of  the  beautiful  ship. 
The  sails  had  just  bellied  out  with  a  fine  breeze ;  the  boat 
that  had  brought  them  on  board  was  already  hanging  on 
the  davits ;  and  the  foam  was  now  rolling  from  her  bows 
as  the  SyMlle  held  her  course  W.  S.W.,  running  at  about 
ten  knots  an  hour.  Ned  looked  toward  the  land ;  for  a  few 
minutes  he  could  just  distinguish  a  faint  white  spot  appar 
ently  not  very  far  above  the  sea ;  he  knew  this  was  his 
home,  in  which  his  mother  was  even  now  awaiting  him ; 
again  he  strained  his  eyes,  it  was  gone  !  A  faint  gray  out 
line  like  a  fcank  of  clouds  was  all  that  remained  of  the  lofty 
cliffs,  of  Cornwall,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  there  was 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  the  boundless  blue  sea,  through 
which  the  noble  ship  was  flying  like  a  bird.  4ft» 

Although  Ned  was  distressed  at  the  sudden  and  unex 
pected  change  in  his  situation,  he  was  nevertheless  excited 
by  the  scene  that  was  entirely  in  sympathy  with  his  tastes. 
As  he  followed  his  conductor  to  the  fore  part  of  the  vessel 
in  company  with  his  two  black  companions,  Tim  and  Nero, 
he  was  full  of  admiration.  The  sailors  were  beautifully 
clean,  and  dressed  exactly  alike ;  the  red-coated  marines 
were  on  guard  in  various  parts  of  the  ship ;  the  hammocks 
were  neatly  stowed  along  the  nettings,  as  though  they 
formed  a  portion  of  the  bulwarks,  while  the  grateful  smell 
of  cooking  as  they  approached  the  forecastle  betokened  the 
hour  of  breakfast. 

Just  as  Ned  was  passing  the  fore-hatchway,  a  midship 
man  who  had  been  mast-headed  for  some  misconduct  was 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  105 

descending  the  shrouds,  and  he  sprang  upon  the  deck  exact 
ly  facing  him ;  for  an  instant  he  started  backward,  and  stared 
him  in  the  face,  as  Ned  in  his  turn  gazed  upon  him  with  as 
tonishment. 

"  Jem  Stevens  I"  exclaimed  Ned. 

"  Why,  what  brought  you  here  ?  and  the  dog  ?  and  the 
nigger  ?"  replied  Stevens,  recovering  himself. 

"  Kidnapped  by  the  boat's  crew  an  hour  ago  near  Sandy 
Cove,"  said  Ned,  who  in  a  few  words  explained  all  that  had 
taken  place. 

"  Oh,  that's  it,  is  it  ?"  replied  Stevens  ;  "  then  I  suppose 
you  know  your  position  :  you're  a  common  sailor,  and  I  am 
an  officer  bearing  the  King's  commission.  You  and  the 
nigger  will  do  well  by  giving  strict  obedience,  and  you'll  be 
so  good  as  to  look  sharp  when  I  give  you  an  order.  D'ye 
hear,"  continued  Stevens,  as  Ned  looked  at  him  in  amaze 
ment  without  making  a  reply. 

Ned  turned  pale  with  suppressed  emotion.  Never  had 
such  angry  feelings  boiled  within  him  as  at  this  moment ; 
at  the  same  time  he  clearly  perceived  his  position.  It  was 
too  true :  Stevens  was  an  officer,  while  he  was  in  an  inferior 
position;  therefore  he  must  obey  the  bully  whom  he  had 
thrashed  heartily  at  their  last  parting. 

"  Here  !  look  after  these  fellows,  and  tie  that  dog  up," 
cried  Stevens  to  the  men,  as  he  rudely  turned  his  back  upon 
Ned,  at  the  same  time  that  he  bestowed  a  kick  upon  Nero's 
ribs. 

But  Nero  was  no  judge  of  navy  discipline,  and  he  imme 
diately  replied  to  the  kick  by  a  short  growl;  at  the  same 
time  flying  at  Stevens's  throat,  he  threw  him  on  his  back, 
and  pinned  him  to  the  deck  before  Ned  had  sufficient  time 
to  interfere. 

"  Loose  him,  Nero  !  loose  him !  drop  it !"  shouted  Ned,  as 
he  caught  the  furious  dog  by  the  neck,  and  with  both  hands 

E2 


106  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

upon  his  throat  he  succeeded  in  choking  him  off.  "  Down, 
Nero  !  Ah,  would  you  again  ?  down  !"  he  cried,  as  the  dog 
showed  an  evident  intention  of  returning  to  the  attack. 

"  Throw  him  over  !"  shouted  several  voices. 

"  No,  don't,"  cried  others.  "  It  warn't  the  dog's  fault ; 
he  kicked  him  first !" 

"  You  shall  throw  me  over  with  the  dog,"  said  Ned, "  if 
you  drown  Nero.  He  ia  the  best  dog  in  the  world,  and 
would  never  bite  if  not  ill-treated."  As  Ned  said  this  he 
hugged  the  dog  round  the  neck  for  protection,  while  Nero 
growled,  and  seemed  prepared  to  fight  all  comers. 

"  He  set  the  dog  at  me,"  cried  Stevens ;  who  now  began 
to  recover  from  the  sudden  attack,  while  the  blood  trickled 
from  several  wounds  in  his  neck. 

"  That's  a  lie,  if  ever  I  heard  a  good  'un,"  said  a  sailor  in 
a  loud  whisper  to  a  comrade.  "  I  saw  and  heard  the  whole 
of  it,  and  it  warn't  the  dog's  fault,  no,  not  at  all ;  the  dog's 
a  good  'un,  I  know,  and  so's  the  lad." 

At  this  time  Lieutenant  Manger,  who  had  commanded 
the  boat  that  had  captured  Ned,  appeared  upon  the  scene. 

"What's  all  this  about?"  asked  he,  as  he  looked  at  the 
discomfited  Stevens,  who  was  generally  disliked  on  board 
the  frigate.  - 

"  May  I  be  allowed  to  explain,  sir  ?"  asked  Ned,  as  he 
stepped  boldly  but  respectfully  forward.  "  I  have  just  rec 
ognized  an  old  school-fellow  in  Stevens,  who  when  we  last 
parted,  a  twelvemonth  ago,  expressed  a  wish  to  run  his 
knife  through  my  ribs.  As  that  was  rather  un-English,  I 
made  him  take  his  coat  off,  and  after  a  few  rounds  he  gave 
in  like  a  coward ;  he  now  insults  me,  as  he  says  he  is  an  of 
ficer  while  I  am  a  common  sailor,  and  to  prove  his  impor 
tance  he  kicked  my  good  dog  in  the  ribs.  If  I  had  not 
saved  him,  the  dog  would  have  torn  his  throat  out  in  a 
couple  of  minutes ;  he  rewards  me  by  declaring  that  I  set 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  107 

the  dog  on.  I  can  only  say  it  is  a  willful  falsehood,  equalled 
by  many  for  which  he  was  celebrated  when  at  school." 

"  Well,  it's  not  the  first  he  has  told  here,"  replied  the 
lieutenant ;  "  but  don't  let  us  have  any  rows  on  board.  Go 
and  get  your  breakfast,  Ned.  And,"  said  he,  turning  to  a 
sailor, "  see  that  the  dog  is  taken  care  of," 

In  a  week  from  that  time  there  were  three  special  favor 
ites  among  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Sybille :  Ned,  Tim, 
and  Nero. 


108  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

WE  must  leave  the  Sybille,  with  a  fair  wind,  steering 
for  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  on  her  way  to  the  In 
dia  station,  while  we  return  to  Ned's  home  at  Sandy  Cove. 

On  the  morning  that  he  had  been  carried  off  by  the  frig 
ate's  boat  Polly  Grey  was  sitting  upon  the  terrace-wall  over 
looking  the  sea,  awaiting  his  return  to  breakfast.  The 
breeze  was  off  the  shore,  therefore  the  sea  was  calm,  and 
from  the  high  cliff  upon  which  the  cottage  stood  Polly  Grey 
enjoyed  the  grand  sea  view,  and  watched  the  snow-white 
sails  of  a  large  ship  in  the  distance,  which  her  experienced 
eyes  discovered  to  be  a  man-of-war.  Presently,  on  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  deep-blue  sea,  she  perceived  a  boat 
pulling  from  the  shore  about  two  miles  distant.  It  was  so 
unusual  for  a  boat  to  pull  directly  out  to  sea  from  that  par 
ticular  direction  that  she  could  not  help  observing  it  with 
curiosity.  It  never  altered  its  course,  and  at  length  it  be 
came  a  mere  speck  in  the  distance  as  it  steered  toward  the 
King's  ship.  Little  did  Polly  know  that  Ned's  eyes  were 
at  that  moment  straining  toward  the  white  cottage  on  the 
cliff  from  that  boat  she  was  so  curiously  watching.  At  last 
she  lost  sight  of  the  boat ;  she  saw  the  frigate  in  full  sail 
until,  hull  down  in  the  far  distance,  the  white  canvas  merely 
resembled  a  sea-gull's  wings ;  it  then  grew  faint,  and  disap 
peared  below  the  horizon. 

"  How  late  Ned  is  for  breakfast !"  said  Polly  to  herself ; 
"what  can  have  become  of  the  boy?  The  tide  is  coming 
in,  and  should  he  be  too  slow  his  retreat  will  be  cut  off,  as 
the  high-water  rises  to  the  cliff  1" 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  109 

As  this  thought  struck  her  she  looked  anxiously  at  the  sea 
below.  Already  the  tide  had  reached  the  base  of  the  cliff, 
which  rose  from  the  water  perpendicularly  like  a  wall.  She 
felt  convinced  in  her  suspicion ;  and,  on  the  impulse  of  a 
moment,  she  rushed  into  the  cottage,  and,  seizing  a  coil  of 
rope,  she  hurried  down  the  zigzag  path  to  the  Cove,  where 
she  collected  several  men  to  assist  her  in  her  search.  Wom 
en  and  children  joined  the  party,  as  Ned  and  Nigger  Tim 
were  general  favorites,  and  the  danger  of  the  rising  tide 
was  well  known  to  the  fishermen  of  Sandy  Cove. 

They  arrived,  breathless,  on  the  summit  of  the  high  cliff, 
and  presently  looked  down  upon  the  natural  terrace  upon 
which  Paul's  cottage  was  built ;  then  continuing  along  the 
edge,  they  skirted  the  precipice  with  great  rapidity,  con 
stantly  looking  below  in  the  hope  of  discovering  Ned  and 
his  companions. 

The  tide  had  already  risen  above  the  beach ;  but  as  tho 
sea  was  calm  there  was  no  immediate  danger,  as  the  water 
was  still  shallow  at  the  base  of  the  cliff :  but  Polly  hurried 
forward  with  increasing  anxiety,  until  she  at  length  became 
so  excited  that  she  wildly  shouted  his  name  as  she  looked 
over  the  precipice  in  despair. 

"  Ned !     Where  are  you,  Ned  ?" 

There  was  no  answer.  Sometimes  a  sea-gull  screamed, 
and  for  a  moment  gave  her  hope,  as  she  imagined  it  to  be 
a  voice ;  but  the  time  passed,  and  the  tide  rose  still  higher ; 
and  as  one  of  the  men  rolled  a  large  rock  over  the  cliff  it 
fell  into  the  water  with  a  hollow  sound  that  proclaimed  its 
depth.  Still  they  might  have  climbed  to  some  rock,  and  be 
clinging  to  the  side  of  the  cliff.  At  this  thought  Polly  re 
doubled  her  shouts,  and  urged  her  companions  forward  in 
the  hopeless  search.  They  had  already  passed  the  spot 
where  the  frigate's  boat  had  landed;  but  the  waves  had 
risen  high  above  the  sandy  beach,  and  now  broke  against 


110  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

the  sides  of  the  cliff.  Polly  Grey  was  frantic  with  despair ; 
nothing  would  induce  her  to  give  up  the  search.  Hours 
passed  away ;  and,  thoroughly  worn  out  with  fatigue  and 
anxiety,  she  sat  down  and  sobbed  bitterly  as  she  gazed 
hopelessly  at  the  sea.  Many  of  the  women  and  children 
did  the  same. 

"  Who  knows  ?"  suddenly  exclaimed  one  of  the  men  who 
had  been  the  most  active  of  the  party, "  perhaps  Ned  may 
have  gone  back  to  school.  Cheer  up,  Mrs.  Grey ;  don't  be 
gin  to  cry  for  him  yet.  Ned's  not  the  lad  to  get  drowned  ; 
depend  upon  it,  he's  forgotten  something,  and  run  back  to 
the  school ;  he  thinks  nothing  of  five  or  six  miles,  and  may 
be  we'll  find  him  looking  for  us  by  the  time  we  get  back  to 
the  Cove." 

This  idea,  which  was  generally  accepted  by  the  sorrow 
ing  party,  now  gave  them  courage,  and  it  was  decided  that 
they  should  at  once  return,  while  two  men  should  be  dis 
patched  to  the  school ;  accordingly,  with  vigor  renewed 
by  hope,  Polly  Grey  retraced  her  steps. 

Upon  arrival  at  Sandy  Cove  they  found  the  little  village 
in  great  commotion;  those  villagers  who  had  not  accom 
panied  them  were  standing  together  in  a  crowd,  discussing 
some  topic  with  great  animation ;  and  upon  seeing  Polly 
Grey  they  immediately  shouted : 

Jf  Run  up  to  your  cottage,  Mrs.  Grey !  You've  got  some 
unwelcome  visitors  there,  and  we'll  just  chuck  'em  over  the 
cliff  if  you'll  say  the  word !" 

"  Is  Ned  come  back  ?"  cried  Polly,  who  was  bewildered 
with  her  anxiety. 

"  No,  no,  there's  no  such  luck ;  they're  looking  after  him 
and  Paul,"  replied  a  woman  in  the  crowd. 

Half  crazy  with  this  wild  intelligence,  Polly  hastened  up 
the  steep  path  and  arrived  nearly  dead  with  fatigue  at  her 
cottage.  Several  persons  were  sitting  on  the  terrace-wall ; 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  Ill 

the  cottage-door  was  wide  open,  and  when  she  entered  she 
found  old  Mother  Lee  and  half  a  dozen  constables  in  pos 
session  of  her  home. 

"What  insult  is  this?"  exclaimed  Polly.  "Where  is 
Ned  ?  Who  are  you  that  dare  to  enter  Paul  Grey's  house 
in  his  absence  ?  You,  Mother  Lee,  leave  the  house  imme 
diately  !  How  often  have  you  been  warned  never  to  set 
foot  upon  the  terrace  ?" 

As  Polly  in  a  state  of  intense  excitement  uttered  these 
words,  old  Mother  Lee  merely  grinned  at  her  with  a  ghastly 
smile  of  contempt  as  she  quietly  took  her  seat  upon  a  wood 
en  chair  without  replying  a  syllable.  The  head  constable  of 
the  party  now  came  forward,  and,  delivering  a  printed  paper 
to  Polly,  he  explained  that  it  was  a  search-warrant,  upon 
which  his  party  must  examine  the  premises  of  Paul  Grey. 

"  I  am  nearly  distracted,"  said  Polly,  as  she  gazed  ab 
stractedly  upon  the  warrant.  "I  understand  nothing; 
where  is  my  boy  Ned  ?  Oh  tell  me,  I  beseech  you,  where 
he  is  !  What  does  all  this  mean  ? — what  does  all  this 
mean?  Tell  me  the  worst  at  once,  I  can  bear  any  thing  but 
the  misery  of  this  suspense.  Say  what  has  happened  !" 

Polly  was  a  beautiful  woman ;  although  no  longer  in  her 
youth,  she  was  hardly  thirty-five,  and  as  she  now  appealed 
to  the  constable  her  face  was  flushed  with  excitement,  and 
her  large  blue  eyes  shone  with  a  brilliancy  and  tende/ness 
that  softened  the  hearts  of  all  present  except  the  wretched 
hag,  Mother  Lee. 

"  Sit  down,  Mrs.  Grey,  I  beseech  you,  and  be  calm,"  re 
plied  the  constable,  "  and  I  will  relate  all  I  know  in  as  few 
words  as  possible." 

Polly  seated  herself  upon  a  sofa,  and  with  an  expression 
of  calm  despair  she  listened  anxiously  to  the  explanation. 

"In  the  middle  of  last  night"  (continued  the  officer), 
"the  village  was  disturbed  by  the  loud  ringing  of  the 


112  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

alarm-bell  at  the  rectory,  accompanied  by  violent  screams 
and  shouts  for  '  Help,'  and  '  Murder !'  " 

"  Good  heavens  !  what  next  ?"  exclaimed  Polly. 

"  The  watchman  quickly  sprang  his  rattle  and  ran  to 
ward  the  spot,  shortly  followed  by  others,  who  had  heard 
the  alarm.  Upon  arrival  at  the  rectory  they  found  the 
door  broken  open,  while  the  screams  continued.  At  this 
time  I  myself  arrived  upon  the  scene,  and  upon  rushing  up 
the  stairs  I  entered  a  room  by  a  door  that  was  wide  open, 
where  I  found  Miss  Edith  Jones  endeavoring  to  support  her 
father,  who  was  lying  on  the  ground  bleeding  from  a  wound 
in  his  left  breast.  Several  maid-servants  were  screaming 
for  help,  and  a  strong  smell  of  gunpowder  filled  the  apart 
ment.  At  the  same  time  Mrs.  Jones  had  fainted,  and  was 
lying  helpless  upon  the  floor. 

"  It  appeared  that  the  house  had  been  broken  into  and 
robbed  at  about  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  that  Par 
son  Jones,  hearing  a  noise  in  the  room  where  his  papers 
were  kept  in  a  chest  with  a  large  sum  of  money,  got  out  of 
bed,  and  upon  entering  the  room  it  is  supposed  he  must 
have  disturbed  the  robbers  in  the  act,  as  a  large  parcel  of 
plate  packed  up  in  a  blanket  was  left  behind  in  their  flight. 
At  that  time  one  of  the  robbers  fired  a  pistol,  which  struck 
the  unfortunate  gentleman  in  the  left  breast.  A  few  mo- 
mente  after  the  report  of  the  pistol  Mrs.  Jones  and  Miss 
Edith  arrived  with  a  light,  and  found  the  poor  gentleman 
dying.  Mrs.  Jones  fainted  on  the  spot,  and  Miss  Edith  en 
deavored  to  raise  her  father  from  the  ground ;  but  he  was 
at  the  last  gasp,  and  could  only  press  her  hand,  and,  with  a 
struggle  for  utterance,  he  whispered  faintly,  but  most  dis 
tinctly,  '  Ned.  Grey.' 

"  The  robbers  had  escaped  with  all  the  money,  which 
amounted  to  two  hundred  guineas,  and  the  poor  gentleman 
is  now  lying  dead ;  while  Mrs.  Jones  is  gone  almost  frantic, 


UAKT    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  113 

and  Miss  Edith  won't  hear  of  it  when  her  mother  says  it 
•must  be  Ned  Grey  who  did  it,  because  the  parson  said  so 
in  his  last  moments." 

During  the  relation  of  this  dreadful  narrative  Polly  Grey 
had  stared  fixedly  at  the  constable  as  though  she  were  in 
a  dream.  At  the  conclusion  she  uttered  incoherently,  as 
though  thinking  aloud,  "  Ned  Grey  !  Ned  Grey  !  What 
Ned  Grey  ?  Not  my  Ned !  But  where  is  Ned  ?" 

"  That's  exactly  the  question,"  replied  the  officer ;  "  as 
his  presence  is  required  before  the  magistrate,  also  that  of 
his  father." 

"  Paul  left  the  Cove  last  evening  in  the  Polly,  and  I  do 
not  know  when  he  will  return ;  but  Ned  arrived  here  last 
night  after  his  father's  departure,  and  this  morning  at  a 
very  early  hour  he,  with  the  negro  lad  Tim  and  the  dog, 
started  along  the  sea-beach,  and  they  have  never  since  been 
heard  of.  I  am  almost  distracted  with  anxiety,  as  I  can 
not  tell  what  has  become  of  them,  and  I  fear  some  terrible 
accident  by  the  high  tide." 

A  hoarse  chuckle  was  succeeded  by  a  murmur  from 
Mother  Lee  :  "  He's  not  born  to  be  drowned,  not  he !  more 
likely  for  the  gallows  !  and  Paul  '11  swing  in  company  if  he 
gets  his  right !" 

Polly  looked  at  the  horrible  countenance  of  Mother  Lee 
with  undisguised  contempt ;  but  the  old  woman,  who^had 
vowed  vengeance  upon  Paul  and  his  family  ever  since  the 
night  of  her  narrow  escape  when  she  hove  rocks  upon  the 
cutter's  crew,  now  glared  at  Polly  with  a  malicious  triumph 
that  made  her  naturally  repulsive  features  still  more  hideous. 

At  this  moment  the  constable,  having  risen  from  his 
seat,  apologized  for  the  intrusion,  but  declared  that  he 
could  not  avoid  acting  upon  the  search-warrant,  therefore 
he  must  proceed  to  examine  the  premises. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  replied  Polly,  who  could  hardly 


114  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA 

realize  her  situation ;  "  search  the  house  and  outbuildings. 
There  is  no  one  here — I  wish  there  were  !" 

Without  more  delay,  the  officer  with  four  of  his  men 
proceeded  to  search  the  various  rooms,  while  a  constable 
remained  with  Polly  and  Mother  Lee.  It  is  needless  to  add 
that  nothing  could  be  found  that  threw  the  slightest  sus 
picion  upon  the  house,  and  the  officer  shortly  returned  and 
requested  Polly  to  unlock  certain  cupboards  in  the  kitchen 
that  were  erected  against  the  cliff,  which  having  been  cut 
perfectly  straight  formed  a  natural  wall. 

Polly  handed  him  the  key,  and  he  opened  the  right-hand 
door;  there  was  nothing  but  a  few  jars,  with  sundry  bot 
tles  and  other  domestic  articles.  Perfectly  satisfied  with 
the  result  of  his  examination,  the  officer  opened  the  left- 
hand  cupboard.  The  shelves  were  nearly  filled  with  trifling 
articles  that  belonged  to  a  fisherman's  occupation:  sail, 
needles,  skeins  of  twine,  packets  of  sail-cloth,  etc. ;  and  hav 
ing  cast  a  hurried  glance  at  the  contents  the  officer  careless 
ly  closed  the  door. 

"  Ha !  ha !  ha !  Ha !  ha !  ha !"  yelled  a  harsh,  shrill  voice, 
as  Mother  Lee,  who  had  been  eagerly  watching  the  exam 
ination  through  the  open  door,  now  hobbled  into  the  room. 
"  Your  eyes  ain't  worth  much  if  yer  can't  see  through  an 
inch  plank,"  said  the  old  woman,  as  she  threw  open  the 
door  of  the  cupboard  that  the  officer  had  closed;  at  the 
same  time  she  struck  the  back  with  the  end  of  her  stick, 
which  resounded  with  a  hollow  tone  like  a  large  drum. 
"  There's  music  for  yer  to  dance  to  !  if  your  eyes  are  no 
good,  your  ears  may  help  yer  if  yer  ain't  deaf  as  well  as 
blind,"  screeched  the  wretched  old  hag,  who  to  the  astonish 
ment  of  Polly  knew  the  secret  of  the  cave. 

The  constable  approached  the  cupboard  with  curiosi 
ty,  and,  half  incredulous,  he  obeyed  the  direction  of  the  old 
woman  as  she  cried  : 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  115 

"  Push  the  bolt  back  tinder  the  bottom  shelf,  and  put 
your  shoulder  to  it — that's  the  secret." 

In  an  instant  the  back  of  the  cupboard  together  with 
the  shelves  flew  open,  and  exposed  the  dark  and  narrow 
gallery  in  the  rock,  to  which  it  formed  an  entrance. 

"  We  must  have  a  light !"  said  the  officer.  "  Perhaps 
you  were  not  aware  of  this  secret,  Mrs.  Grey,"  he  continued, 
as  Polly,  deadly  pale  and  trembling,  struck  a  light,  and 
shortly  handed  him  a  candle  without  making  him  a  reply. 

The  officer,  followed  by  several  of  his  men,  cautiously 
entered  the  cave  as  though  fearing  a  surprise.  In  about 
five  minutes  they  returned  heavily  laden  with  various  pack 
ages,  and  again  entered  the  gallery,  as  much  remained  to  be 
removed. 

On  the  completion  of  their  task  it  was  discovered  that 
contraband  goods  of  considerable  value  had  been  concealed, 
and  a  list  was  immediately  made  out,  specifying  the  number 
of  bales  of  silk,  kegs  of  brandy  and  hollands,  and  packages 
of  tobacco  that  had  been  seized,  while  notice  of  the  event 
was  immediately  dispatched  to  the  coast-guard  station. 

There  was  one  old  box  that  was  hardly  worth  examina 
tion,  as  it  appeared  to  contain  little  beyond  some  loose  cot 
ton-wool  ;  but,  as  this  was  brought  into  the  kitchen  from 
the  cave,  Polly  immediately  rushed  forward. 

"  You  must  not  touch  that !"  she  cried.  "  That  box  is 
Ned's  own,  although  he  does  not  know  it :  the  contents  are 
sacred.  For  heaven's  sake  do  not  interfere  with  that,  as  all 
depends  upon  it ! — his  future — his  very  identity — every 
thing  in  the  world." 

As  Polly,  in  great  excitement,  thus  addressed  the  con 
stables,  their  suspicions  that  had  already  been  justly  aroused 
were  rendered  still  more  keen,  and  the  chief  officer  calmly 
but  determinedly  insisted  upon  an  examination  of  the  con 
tents.  In  another  instant  a  bag  containing  two  hundred 


116  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

guineas  was  discovered  lying  as  though  for  the  purpose  of 
concealment  among  the  loose  cotton-wool  which  nearly  filled 
the  box.  Hardly  had  the  gold  been  produced,  than  a  small 
parcel  containing  a  valuable  diamond  necklace,  several  rings, 
and  a  gold  locket  was  likewise  brought  forth,  to  the  amaze 
ment  of  the  officer. 

A  large  sum  of  gold  had  been  stolen  from  the  rectory; 
here  was  a  bag,  evidently  concealed,  containing  the  exact 
amount  (two  hundred  guineas),  also  diamonds  that  could 
not  possibly  belong  to  a  person  in  Polly  Grey's  position. 
Contraband  goods,  also  concealed,  proved  that  Paul  Grey, 
and  probably  Ned  likewise,  had  been  engaged  in  lawless 
and  desperate  adventures;  both  were  now  absent.  The 
whole  affair  looked  extremely  suspicious.  Polly  might  have 
misled  the  constables  respecting  their  absence ;  they  might 
possibly  be  concealed  in  the  neighborhood ;  decidedly  she 
had  not  volunteered  any  information,  and  the  cave  had  been 
discovered  simply  through  the  instrumentality  of  Mother 
Lee. 

There  was  only  one  course  to  pursue;  in  spite  of  Polly's 
entreaties,  the  officer  declared  that  he  must  take  possession 
of  the  gold  and  diamonds,  as  he  suspected  them  to  be  a 
portion  of  the  property  stolen  from  the  rectory,  and  he 
would  wait  for  the  arrival  of  Captain  Smart,  of  the  coast 
guard,  to  whom  he  should  hand  over  the  articles  of  contra 
band. 

About  two  hours  passed,  during  which  Polly  Grey  was 
in  an  agony  of  suspense,  and  she  at  length  hailed  the  arrival 
of  Captain  Smart  with  unrepressed  delight  as  the  door 
opened  and  he  entered  the  room. 

"  Thank  God  you  are  come  at  last !"  cried  Polly.  "  Be 
fore  you  speak  a  word,  drive  that  insolent  old  hag  from  the 
house.  Begone !"  shouted  Polly  to  old  Mother  Lee,  who 
had  hitherto  sat  like  an  evil  spirit  watching  her  misery. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA,  117 

Joe  Smart,  without  more  ado,  seized  the  old  woman  by 
the  arm,  and  in  spite  of  her  curses  he  bundled  her  out  of 
the  door ;  at  the  same  time  he  remarked  to  the  chief  con 
stable  upon  the  gross  impropriety  of  allowing  her  to  have 
remained  so  long  against  the  wishes  of  the  owner  of  the 
cottage. 

"  She  is  our  principal  witness,"  replied  the  constable ; 
"  and  without  her  we  should  never  have  discovered  the  cave. 
Look  at  this  mass  of  property ;  we  owe  the  whole  to  Mother 
Lee.  Take  your  share.  Ah1  the  contraband  belongs  to  you ; 
and  this  comes  to  my  department,"  exclaimed  the  constable, 
as  he  produced  the  bag  of  guineas  and  the  glittering  neck 
lace  of  brilliants. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  paint  the  surprise  and  conster 
nation  of  Joe  Smart  at  this  intelligence.  He  glanced  first 
at  the  numerous  articles  that  lay  upon  the  floor,  and  then 
he  turned  inquiringly  to  Polly,  with  an  expression  of  min 
gled  curiosity  and  despair. 

"  Judge  for  yourself,"  continued  the  officer,  as  he  led  the 
way  to  the  cave,  followed  instinctively  by  the  astonished 
friend  of  the  family. 

There  was  no  possibility  of  doubt  respecting  the  smug 
gled  goods ;  but  upon  Joe  Smart's  return  to  the  room  Polly 
immediately  called  him  on  one  side,  and  in  a  few  words  she 
confided  to  him  the  long-kept  secret  of  the  gold  and  dia 
mond  necklace,  with  the  locket,  and  all  that  had  been  dis 
covered  in  the  box  when  the  infant  was  washed  ashore ; 
and  that  her  only  object  in  secreting  them  was  to  insure 
their  safety  in  case  they  might  at  some  future  time  be  re 
quired  to  prove  Ned  Grey's  identity. 

"  As  to  the  other  goods,"  continued  Polly,  "  they  belong 
ed  to  Paul,  and  he  will  explain  all  concerning  them  upon 
his  return.  I  do  not  presume  to  interfere  with  his  affairs. 
The  existence  of  the  cave  he  always  wished  to  remain  a  se- 


118  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

cret,  and  I  should  be  a  faithless  wife  to  divulge  what  he 
concealed." 

At  the  first  glance  Captain  Smart,  as  a  revenue  officer, 
perceived  that  the  affair  was  exceedingly  grave,  for,  although 
he  had  not  the  slightest  doubt  of  Polly  Grey's  integrity,  he 
saw  that  the  absence  of  both  Paul  and  Ned,  together  with 
the  young  negro,  would  be  a  natural  cause  for  suspicion,  es 
pecially  as  Paul's  antecedents  would  not  add  to  his  good 
reputation.  He  thoroughly  believed  Polly's  explanation  of 
the  bag  of  guineas  and  the  diamond  necklace.  The  latter 
was  worth  at  least  a  thousand  pounds,  and  he  saw  that  the 
fact  of  its  possession  by  Paul  would  render  such  a  story  as 
that  of  the  shipwreck  most  improbable,  if  not  actually  in 
credible.  At  all  events,  it  would  not  be  believed  by  the 
hardened  authorities  of  the  law.  It  was  now  his  painful 
duty  to  .seize  as  articles  of  contraband  the  large  amount  of 
property  that  lay  before  him,  and,  even  worse,  it  would  be 
necessary  to  take  the  person  of  his  old  friend  into  custody 
immediately  upon  his  arrival.  How  should  he  be  able  to 
lay  hands  upon  Polly's  husband  ?  Joe  Smart  had  always 
loved  her,  first  as  a  suitor,  but  after  her  marriage  with  Paul 
he  had  resigned  himself  to  his  fate,  and  had  controlled  his 
affection  to  the  strict  degree  of  friendship  ;  he  now  saw  her 
in  distress,  and  in  Paul's  absence  she  had  hailed  his  arrival 
as  a  deliverer;  but  it  would  be  his  own  hand  that  must 
press  most  heavily  upon  them,  while  his  heart  burned  with 
the  keenest  sympathy. 

"My  dear  Mrs.  Grey,"  said  the  straightforward  Joe 
Smart,  "  this  is  a  very  serious  affair,  and  you  must  make  up 
your  mind  to  bear  many  severe  trials  before  it  can  be  con 
cluded;  at  the  same  time  depend  upon  me  as  your  truest 
friend,  although,  as  the  King's  officer,  I  may  be  forced  to 
act  in  a  manner  that  may  belie  such  a  profession  of  friend 
ship.  I  am  obliged  to  retain  in  custody  the  whole  of  the 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  119 

articles  that  have  been  discovered  in  the  cave,  and  I  only 
trust  that  my  old  friend  Paul  will  land  upon  some  other 
part  of  the  Cornish  coast,  where  I  have  not  the  com 
mand." 

"  But  where  is  Ned  ?"  asked  Polly,  in  a  voice  of  unnat 
ural  calmness,  as  though  the  oppression  of  so  many  mis 
fortunes  had  rendered  her  callous  to  adversity.  "  You  can 
not  suspect  Ned  ;  neither  would  Tim  do  any  thing  that  was 
wrong.  The  dog  also  is  with  them,  and  they  all  slept  here 
last  night,  and  only  left  the  house  early  in  the  morning. 
What  can  have  become  of  them  ?  I  fear  that  horrible  old 
woman  is  at  the  bottom  of  this,"  continued  Polly.  "  She 
vowed  vengeance  against  Paul  for  having  threatened  to 
throw  her  over  the  cliff  on  the  night  when  the  cutter  was 
lost  with  all  the  crew.  Me  she  has  always  hated  ;  and  Ned 
told  me  that  he  saw  her  in  the  church-yard  by  the  rectory 
only  last  evening.  What  business  had  she  so  far  from  the 
Cove  ?  The  whole  affair  is  a  fearful  mystery.  You  know 
how  Ned  loved  dear  old  Parson  Jones  and  Edith.  It  was 
only  last  night  that  the  boy  opened  his  heart  to  me,  and 
told  me  how  he  loved  her,  and  how  he  would  try  by  indus 
try  to  win  a  position  worthy  of  her.  Edith  loves  him. 
Perhaps  her  poor  father  suspected  it,  and  would  have 
spoken  of  him  to  her  with  his  last  breath,  as  he  died  with 
the  name  of  c  Ned  Grey  '  upon  his  lips.  The  mother  is  a 
good  but  foolish  woman,  and  she  is  carried  away  by  her 
distress.  But  Edith  knows.  She  knows  as  well  as  I  do 
how  good  and  true  is  Ned.  I  must  go  to  her  this  moment  ; 
perhaps  she  can  throw  some  light  upon  his  absence.  At 
all  events,  it  will  be  a  comfort  to  see  some  one  who  loves 
my  boy  !" 

Joe  Smart  could  find  no  words  of  comfort.  He  knew 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  such  a  boy  as  Ned  to  com 
mit  a  crime.  At  the  same  time  he  saw  that  the  circum- 


OF  THE 


120  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

stances  of  the  case  would  naturally  throw  a  certain  amount 
of  suspicion  upon  parties  who  had  been  seen  at  the  rectory 
on  the  previous  night,  but  who  had  disappeared  as  mysteri 
ously  a  few  hours  later,  during  which  interval  robbery  and 
murder  had  been  committed,  while  the  exact  sum  of  money 
that  was  missing  had  been  found  concealed  in  the  house 
occupied  by  those  who  were  now  suddenly  absent. 

"  When  do  you  expect  Paul  home  ?"  asked  Joe  Smart. 

"  I  have  no  idea.  His  return  is  always  uncertain,"  re 
plied  Polly. 

"  Well,"  said  Joe,  "  in  the  mean  time,  Mrs.  Grey,  it  will 
be  better  to  return  these  heavy  parcels  to  the  cave.  You 
will  give  me  the  key  of  the  cupboard  entrance,  and  I  will 
trust  to  your  honor  that  they  shall  not  be  removed  until  I 
can  bring  the  men  necessary  for  the  purpose." 

Captain  Smart  now  turned  to  the  constables,  and  ex 
plained  the  affair  of  the  shipwreck  nearly  fifteen  years  ago, 
how  Ned  had  been  saved  as  an  infant,  and  the  gold  and 
precious  stones  now  discovered  had  been  found  with  the 
child,  and  secreted  for  an  excellent  purpose  by  Polly  Grey 
and  Paul,  who  had  acted  throughout  as  though  they  were 
the  parents  of  the  boy. 

"  That's  all  very  well,  and  it  may  be  perfectly  true,"  re 
plied  the  chief  officer ;  "  but  under  the  circumstances  it  is 
my  duty  to  deposit  the  valuables  with  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  If  the  tale  can  be  proved,  it  will  be  all  right ;  but 
surely  Mrs.  Grey  must  be  aware  that  such  valuable  articles 
as  diamonds  and  a  large  sum  of  gold  should  have  been 
placed  in  the  hands  of  a  magistrate  at  the  time  that  the  in 
fant  was  saved,  when  the  discovery  was  first  made.  The 
neglect  of  this  caution  is  now  manifest,  if  the  tale  be  true ; 
but  as  a  burglary  and  murder  have  been  committed,  and  a 
sum  of  guineas  stolen,  while  her  son  Ned  was  supposed  to 
be  at  the  rectory  and  he  is  now  suddenly  missing,  what 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  121 

other  conclusion  can  be  arrived  at  but  that  he  is  in  some 
way  implicated  in  the  affair  ?  Especially  as  we  have  now 
found  a  bag  of  guineas  carefully  concealed,  with  other  sus« 
picious  property,  while  the  last  words  of  the  murdered  gen 
tleman  appeared  to  point  to  the  lad  in  particular." 

"  It's  of  no  use  arguing  the  question  here,"  said  Captain 
Smart ;  "  the  affair  will  be  sifted  and  decided  by  the  proper 
authorities.  I  know  Ned  Grey,  and  I  would  stake  my  life 
upon  his  character.  It  is  very  distressing,  Mrs.  Grey," 
added  he,  turning  to  Polly,  "  but  it  will  all  come  right  in 
the  end,  you  may  depend  upon  it ;  only  have  patience,  which 
I  confess  is  sorely  needed,  and  if  I  can  help  you  in  any  way 
only  point  out  the  manner,  and  it  will  be  my  greatest  hap 
piness  to  serve  you. 

"  Just  put  back  those  packages  into  the  rock,  my  lads," 
continued  Captain  Smart,  as  he  addressed  the  constables ; 
"  and  give  me  the  key." 

In  the  mean  time  the  chief  officer  made  up  the  gold  and 
jewels  in  a  sealed  packet,  and  gave  a  receipt  in  writing  to 
Polly  Grey.  The  party  then  withdrew,  leaving  Polly  and 
Joe  Smart  alone. 

"  I  don't  like  the  complexion  of  this  affair,  Mrs.  Grey," 
said  Joe  Smart.  "  I  have  no  fear  for  Ned,  as  he  is  a  boy 
who  can  take  good  care  of  himself;  but  I  feel  sure  that 
there  is  some  underhand  work  that  must  be  brought  to 
light.  I  can  not  allow  you  to  walk  alone  to  the  rectory ; 
the  goods  are  all  safe  now  that  they  are  replaced  in  the 
cave,  and  you  must  permit  me  to  accompany  you.  As  you 
say,  Miss  Edith  may  be  able  to  throw  some  light  upon 
Ned's  absence." 

"  You  were  always  a  good  friend,"  said  Polly,  "  but  I 
never  appreciated  kindness  so  much  as  now;"  and  hastily 
throwing  a  shawl  over  her  shoulders,  she  took  Joe's  arm 
and  started  for  the  rectory. 

F 


122  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

It  would  be  useless  to  describe  the  meeting  between 
Polly  Grey  and  Edith.  There  was  a  natural  sympathy  be 
tween  them  which  their  distress  only  served  to  strengthen. 
Edith  could  give  no  other  account  of  Ned  than  the  fact  of 
his  having  parted  with  her  late  in  the  preceding  evening, 
when  he  had  been  followed  by  Nero. 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  the  sobbing  girl,  "  if  Nero  had  only 
remained  here  no  thieves  could  have  entered  the  house,  and 
my  dear  father  might  have  been  still  alive  !" 

On  the  other  hand,  her  mother,  who  was  naturally  weak, 
and  a  woman  of  impulse,  leaned  to  the  opinion  that  Ned 
was  in  some  way  implicated  in  the  burglary  because  her 
husband  had  mentioned  his  name  ;  and  the  fact  of  the  dog 
having  been  allured  away  from  the  premises  on  the  fatal 
night  only  served  to  rivet  her  suspicion.  Edith  was  furious 
at  the  idea,  and  in  the  evidence  that  she  had  given  before 
the  magistrates  she  laid  much  stress  upon  the  appearance 
of  old  Mother  Lee,  that  had  been  so  quickly  followed  by 
the  figures  of  two  men  who  had  furtively  passed  by  the 
church-yard  on  the  previous  evening,  when  she  and  Ned 
had  conversed  together.  This  testimony  was  but  slightly 
regarded,  and,  in  spite  of  her  protest,  the  general  opinion 
leaned  strongly  toward  the  guilt  of  the  absentees. 

One  fisherman  declared  that  he  had  seen  a  vessel  in  the 
dusk  of  the  evening  which  he  could  not  exactly  swear  to  as 
the  Polly,  but  he  thought  it  was  the  lugger  hovering  about 
the  coast.  Thus  a  party  might  have  landed,  and  effected 
their  escape  by  sea  after  having  committed  the  burglary. 
Rumors  of  all  kinds  more  or  less  extravagant  found  cre 
dence  throughout  the  village ;  but  when  toward  evening  the 
news  spread  of  the  discovery  of  a  bag  containing  two  hun 
dred  guineas,  together  with  jewels  and  a  quantity  of  con 
traband  articles  in  a  secret  cave  connected  with  Paul  Grey's 
dwelling  at  Sandy  Cove,  there  was  a  general  conviction 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  123 

that  the  Grey  family  were  concerned  in  the  robbery.  One 
woman  said  that  she  had  dreamed  a  few  nights  ago  that  a 
black  man  was  cutting  her  throat,  therefore  she  believed 
that  the  negro  Tim  had  shot  the  parson ;  another  woman 
had  had  a  cold  shiver  run  down  her  back  as  she  crossed 
the  church  -  yard  on  the  Sunday  afternoon,  therefore  she 
knew  that  a  murder  was  to  be  committed ;  while  a  third 
had  always  said  from  the  beginning  "  that  no  good  would 
come  of  Ned  Grey,  as  he  was  a  deal  too  handsome  to  live." 
However  absurd,  there  was  nothing  that  could  be  too  ri 
diculous  to  be  believed  ;  even  the  watchman  declared  that, 
when  he  took  his  quart  of  ale  at  the  White  Hart  just  be 
fore  midnight,  he  had  a  taste  of  blood  in  his  mouth,  and  so 
he  "  thought  as  how  there'd  be  a  murder  before  morning ;" 
but  this  warning  had  not  kept  him  on  the  alert,  as  he  had 
been  fast  asleep  until  awakened  by  the  pistol-shot  and 
screams  from  the  rectory. 

That  night  was  one  of  misery  for  many.  Although  Polly 
Grey  was  fatigued  with  the  bodily  exertions  of  the  day, 
she  was  far  too  troubled  to  be  able  to  close  her  eyes,  and 
she  begged  the  widow  Mrs.  Jones  to  be  allowed  to  remain 
at  the  rectory,  to  sit  up  with  her  and  Edith,  as  all  were  too 
sorrowful  to  sleep. 

Although  Mrs.  Jones,  in  the  agony  of  her  distress,  had 
given  way  to  the  first  impulse  of  her  suspicion  owing  to 
the  simple  testimony  of  her  husband's  last  words,  which 
were  entirely  unconnected,  she  was  naturally  a  kind  and 
warm-hearted  person,  and  when  closeted  throughout  the 
midnight  hours  with  Edith  and  Polly  Grey,  she  mingled 
her  grief  with  theirs,  and  before  the  gray  light  of  morning 
gleamed  through  the  shutters  she  had  been  almost  convert 
ed  to  a  belief  in  Ned's  innocence. 

The  day  following  only  increased  Polly  Grey's  suspense. 
No  tidings  could  be  heard  of  Ned.  It  was  difficult  to  say 


124  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

which  suffered  most  deeply — whether  those  who  mourned 
for  one  dead,  or  those  who  lived  in  the  torture  of  a  con 
stant  anxiety.  Unfortunately  Edith  had  to  bear  the  double 
trial :  she  had  lost  a  father  whom  she  had  loved  tenderly, 
and  not  only  was  Ned  missing  but  his  name  was  blackened 
with  suspicion. 

That  same  afternoon  the  jury  at  the  coroner's  inquest 
brought  in  a  verdict  of  Willful  Murder  against  Paul  and 
Ned  Grey,  together  with  the  negro,  Tim.  The  principal 
witness  had  been  Mother  Lee,  who  swore  that  she  had  seen 
all  three  persons  lurking  about  the  premises  shortly  before 
midnight,  and  that  they  afterward  took  the  road  in  the  di 
rection  of  Sandy  Cove.  A  warrant  was  immediately  issued 
for  their  apprehension. 

The  news  of  this  danger  and  disgrace  added  to  her  fa 
ther's  death  was  too  much  for  the  excited  nerves  of  Edith. 
On  the  day  of  her  father's  funeral  she  was  seized  with  a 
violent  fit  of  shivering,  and  a  few  hours  later  she  was  pros 
trated  by  a  burning  fever.  In  addition  to  other  calamities, 
Polly  Grey  had  been  arrested  upon  suspicion  of  connivance 
at  the  robbery  and  concealment  of  stolen  goods ;  and  this 
innocent  and  lovely  woman  had  been  taken  to  the  common 
jail,  until  she  was  bailed  out  by  the  promptitude  of  Captain 
Smart  and  the  widow,  Mrs.  Jones  ;  the  latter  had  now  insist 
ed  upon  her  remaining  at  the  rectory  until  some  news  should 
be  received  of  her  husband  and  Ned. 

Polly  was  now  able  to  repay  this  kindness  by  the  careful 
nursing  of  her  youthful  patient,  Edith,  who  lay  in  delirium 
for  several  days,  almost  beyond  the  hope  of  recovery.  Al 
though  she  was  in  a  state  of  perpetual  suspense  at  the  un 
usually  long  absence  of  Paul,  in  addition  to  the  mysterious 
disappearance  of  Ned,  Polly  Grey's  spirit  rose  against  the 
pressure  of  adversity,  and  she  sought  consolation  in  that 
trust  in  Providence  which  religion  taught  her  was  the  only 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  125 

help  in  the  hour  of  need.  Bereft  of  all  that  had  made  life 
happy,  she  now  devoted  herself  to  the  care  of  Edith,  whom 
she  loved  with  increased  affection  as  the  sharer  of  her  anx 
iety  for  Ned. 

For  three  weeks  Edith  lay  in  the  greatest  danger ;  but 
at  the  expiration  of  that  time  a  sudden  change  took  place, 
and  as  the  restless  and  weary  night  passed  away  the  morn 
ing  dawned  upon  a  pale,  thin  face,  which  had  suddenly  lost 
the  deep  scarlet  flush  that  for  so  many  days  had  overspread 
the  features.  For  a  moment,  as  Polly  opened  the  shutters 
and  looked  upon  the  finely  chiselled  face  that  looked  like 
the  whitest  marble,  she  thought  the  spirit  had  fled  forever, 
and  she  hastened  to  the  bedside  and  gently  took  the  slender 
hand  that  lay  upon  the  coverlet.  There  was  a  faintly  per 
ceptible  pulse,  and  the  sharp,  hard  throbbing  of  fever  had 
ceased ;  she  leaned  over  the  lovely  face,  and  placed  her 
cheek  close  to  Edith's  lips ;  she  breathed  gently  and  regu 
larly  ;  the  breath  was  no  fonger  hot,  and  the  patient  calmly 
slept :  it  was  the  first  natural  sleep  that  she  had  had  for 
many  days. 

"  Thank  God  !"  whispered  Polly  to  herself,  and  she  quiet 
ly  left  the  room  to  carry  the  happy  intelligence  to  the  moth 
er,  who  had  been  so  broken  down  with  sorrow  as  to  be  al 
most  helpless. 

From  that  hour  Edith  mended ;  she  woke  from  her  sleep 
refreshed ;  her  mind  was  calm  and  clear,  and  as  she  saw 
Polly's  thankful  face  beaming  over  her,  she  gently  placed 
her  thin  white  arm  around  her  neck,  and  drew  her  lips  to 
ward  her. 

"  You  have  been  very  kind  to  me,  dear  Mrs.  Grey.  But 
how  tired  you  look ;  lie  down  and  sleep ;  I  am  well  now," 
said  Edith,  as  she  endeavored  to  sit  up,  but  fell  back  ex 
hausted  in  the  bed.  Polly  was  a  careful  nurse,  and  she  had 
already  prepared  a  stimulant  to  refresh  the  patient  upon 


126  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

waking,  and  after  a  short  time  she  again  fell  asleep.  That 
day  dated  the  commencement  of  her  recovery. 

In  a  few  weeks  Edith  was  once  more  in  the  open  air,  but 
the  rectory  was  no  longer  the  same.  The  noisy  shouts  of 
school-boys  had  long  ceased,  as  the  school  had  been  broken 
up,  and  a  profound  stillness  made  the  formerly  happy  spot 
almost  unbearable.  It  was  a  large  house,  that  required  a 
considerable  family  to  enliven  it,  and  now  that  this  sudden 
desolation  had  taken  place,  it  appeared  like  a  miserable  soli 
tude.  Polly  Grey  had  become  almost  one  of  the  family 
since  the  general  affliction,  and  Edith  could  not  sufficiently 
express  her  gratitude  for  the  tender  care  that  had  saved  her 
in  her  dangerous  illness.  The  good  but  weak  Mrs.  Jones 
now  leaned  upon  Polly  as  her  right  hand,  and  she  had  not 
only  forgotten  her  suspicions  of  Ned  Grey,  but  upon  hear 
ing  of  the  valuable  diamond  necklace,  she  had  taken  a  vast 
interest  in  the  boy's  fate,  as  she  felt  no  doubt  that  he  was 
the  child  of  some  person  of  considerable  position. 

Dr.  Jones,  as  has  before  been  stated,  was  a  man  of  inde 
pendent  fortune :  the  rectory,  together  with  a  farm  of  sev 
eral  hundred  acres,  was  his  own  freehold ;  in  addition  to 
which  he  had  left  a  fortune  of  nearly  £50,000.  A  life  in 
terest  in  £20,000  had  been  left  to  his  widow,  while  the  re 
mainder  was  bequeathed  absolutely  to  his  only  child,  Edith. 

As  Edith  was  now  sufficiently  recovered  to  bear  the  open 
air  the  doctor  proposed  a  change,  and  Polly  suggested  that 
they  should  retire  to  her  pretty  cottage  on  the  cliff  at  Sandy 
Cove,  where  they  could  rough  it  in  a  snug  and  clean  dwell 
ing,  with  the  beautiful  view  of  the  sea,  and  a  fresh  breeze 
that  was  a  finer  tonic  than  all  the  doctor's  drugs.  This  pro 
posal  was  at  once  adopted  :  a  cart-load  of  sundry  little  luxu 
ries  was  dispatched  to  the  care  of  Captain  Smart,  of  the 
coast-guard  station,  who  not  only  received  them,  but  with  a 
sailor's  neatness  and  assiduity  he  arranged  every  thing  in 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  127 

readiness  for  the  reception  of  the  party,  so  that  the  cottage 
never  had  looked  so  pretty  as  when  they  all  arrived,  and 
found  the  proud  and  good-natured  face  of  Captain  Smart 
to  welcome  them  at  the  door. 

There  was  a  certain  excitement  in  the  move  and  the 
change  of  scene  that  had  a  marvellous  effect  in  quelling  the 
pangs  of  their  recent  affliction.  There  is  an  extraordinary 
power  in  the  nerves  of  the  eye  that  exerts  an  immediate  in 
fluence  upon  the  mind,  and  the  scene  being  changed,  the 
miseries  of  the  past  were  for  the  moment  left  behind  in  the 
localities  with  which  they  were  associated. 

On  the  following  morning  they  sat  together  at  breakfast, 
looking  out  of  the  open  window  upon  the  blue  and  now 
peaceful  sea.  Polly  Grey  was  the  saddest  of  the  party,  as 
she  was  in  her  old  home,  and  her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  sev 
eral  articles  that  were  arranged  upon  the  walls  which  be 
longed  to  Paul  and  Ned.  There  was  a  new  red  woolen 
comforter  that  she  had  knitted  for  Paul  when  he  had  start 
ed.  This  was  to  have  been  given  to  him  on  his  return ;  it 
had  now  been  folded  carefully  by  Joe  Smart  and  placed 
upon  the  mantle-piece  beneath  the  picture  of  the  Polly. 

At  this  moment  Edith  started  as  a  figure  passed  the  win 
dow.  ""Mrs.  Grey !"  she  suddenly  shouted,  "  take  care  !" 

The  next  instant  the  figure  of  old  Mother  Lee  stood  peer 
ing  into  the  cottage.  "  You're  a  pretty  thing  to  call  yerself 
a  wife  !"  screamed  the  old  woman,  in  her  most  horrible  key. 
"  Doesn't  luck  come  from  the  sou'-west  ?" 

Polly  rushed  to  the  door.  "  What  did  she  mean  ?"  cried 
the  almost  frantic  wife,  as  the  figure  of  the  old  woman  van 
ished  before  she  could  unfasten  the  latch. 

« I  see  !"  cried  Edith,  « it  is  a  ship  !" 

Polly  Grey  gazed  intently  from  the  window  at  a  small 
white  spot  on  the  horizon. 

"  It  is  a  sea-bird,"  said  Mrs.  Jones. 


128  CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

For  some  minutes  not  a  word  was  spoken ;  all  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  the  vessel.  Presently  Polly  Grey  turned  pale  as 
death  as  the  vessel,  altering  her  course,  distinctly  exposed 
the  three  masts  and  rig  of  a  lugger. 

"  It  is  the  Polly  !  it  is  Paul !"  shouted  Polly  Grey,  as  she 
fell  heavily  on  the  floor,  overpowered  by  hopes  and  fears. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  129 


CHAPTER  VII. 

wind  was  blowing  hard  from  the  north,  and  the  lug- 
-•-  ger  presently  stood  off  on  another  tack.  At  this  mo 
ment  the  white  sails  of  a  revenue  cutter  were  suddenly  per^ 
ceived  as  she  rounded  a  point,  £nd  with  a  spanking  breeze 
she  bore  down  direct  upon  the  lugger.  Polly  had  quickly 
recovered  from  her  emotion,  and  the  three  now  watched 
with  intense  interest  the  movements  of  the  two  vessels,  feel 
ing  convinced  that  Paul  was  within  a  few  hours  of  home. 

As  the  lugger  was  close  hauled  to  the  wind,  endeavoring 
to  beat  up  toward  the  shore,  she  had  no  chance  of  escaping 
the  cutter,  should  that  be  her  intention,  unless  by  altering 
her  course  and  running  before  the  wind.  This  she  present 
ly  did,  and  in  a  few  minutes  she  disappeared  below  the  hori 
zon,  while  the  cutter  in  full  sail  chased  in  the  same  direc 
tion.  This  was  a  terrible  disappointment  to  Polly  Grey, 
who  with  natural  eagerness  had  expected  her  husband's 
quick  return.  More  than  a  month  had  passed  without  the 
slightest  tidings  since  Paul  had  left  Sandy  Cove.  At 
that  time  the  Channel  was  full  of  British  cruisers  and 
privateers  which  preyed  like  falcons  upon  the  French  com 
merce,  while  on  the  other  hand  the  French  ships  of  war 
were  ever  on  the  lookout  for  British  merchant  vessels  re 
turning  deeply  laden  from  the  colonies.  Accordingly  there 
was  much  risk  attending  unarmed  vessels  that  ventured  too 
near  the  coast  of  France.  Polly  Grey's  chief  anxiety  was, 
that  Paul  might  have  been  captured  by  the  French ;  but  as 
she  had  now  recognized  his  vessel,  she  had  no  longer  any 

F2 


130  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

fear  of  the  common  enemy  :  the  danger  lay  in  the  revenue 
cutters.  There  was  a  real  cause  for  apprehension  ;  should 
he  return  in  safety,  he  might  be  immediately  arrested  upon 
the  charge  of  smuggling,  even  should  the  ridiculous  accu 
sation  of  complicity  in  the  burglary  fall  to  the  ground. 
This  latter  charge  was  only  supported  by  the  false  evidence 
of  Mother  Lee,  who  had  sworn  that  she  saw  him  near  the 
rectory  on  the  night  of  the  murder. 

The  day  passed  away  in  watching  the  sea;  the  cutter 
had  quickly  disappeared  in  chase  of  the  lugger  in  the  morn 
ing.  It  was  now  past  six  In  the  evening,  and  for  the  last 
two  or  three  hours  the  wind  had  changed ;  and  although 
there  was  no  appearance  of  actual  bad  weather,  it  was  blow 
ing  hard  from  the  south-west,  and,  as  usual,  a  heavy  surf  was 
breaking  upon  the  rocky  coast. 

As  the  wind  was  now  fair,  Polly,  and  other  inhabitants  of 
the  Cove,  who  were  experienced  in  the  locality,  expected  that 
the  lugger  would  run  for  the  bay  during  the  night.  Ampng 
others,  Mother  Lee  was  also  of  this  opinion ;  and,  true  to 
her  natural  instincts,  she  had  already  collected  some  staves 
of  old  tar-barrels  and  a  quantity  of  inflammable  material 
for  the  purpose  of  making  the  fires  necessary  as  guides. 

As  has  been  already  described,  this  wretched  woman  had 
vowed  vengeance  against  Paul  and  all  that  belonged  to  him 
ever  since  the  memorable  night  on  which  he  had  dashed 
her  to  the  ground  when  caught  in  the  dastardly  act  of  ston 
ing  the  drowning  crew  of  the  cutter.  From  that  moment 
there  was  no  villainy  that  Mother  Lee  would  not  have  per 
petrated  in  order  to  effect  his  ruin.  Thus  she  had  endeav 
ored  to  swear  away  his  life,  together  with  that  of  Ned,  in 
the  false  evidence  given  in  the  case  of  the  burglary.  She 
also  had  betrayed  the  secret  of  the  cave  ;  and  this  night  she 
intended  to  complete  his  ruin  and  death  by  an  act  of  treach 
ery  still  more  diabolical. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  131 

•> 

Paul  Grey,  as  is  well  known,  was  a  daring,  and  hitherto 
a  successful  smuggler ;  and  whenever  it  had  been  necessary 
to  run  straight  for  Sandy  Cove  on  a  dark  and  stormy  night, 
when  all  other  vessels  would  have  avoided  the  coast,  he 
could  depend  upon  his  knowledge  of  the  locality,  and  upon 
the  fires  which  were  generally  lighted  on  the  heights  upon 
either  side  to  guide  the  Polly  into  the  entrance  of  the  bay. 

Mother  Lee  felt  certain  that  the  Polly,  being  chased  by 
the  cruiser,  would,  as  usual,  run  for  the  bay  during  the 
night,  as  the  wind  was  blowing  hard  directly  upon  the 
shore,  therefore  the  cutter  would  hesitate  to  approach  the 
rocks.  She  accordingly  determined  to  arrange  a  snare  that* 
must  inevitably  wreck  the  Polly,  and  destroy  all  on  board. 
Having  collected  a  large  quantity  of  fuel,  which  she  tied  in 
many  bundles,  she  left  word  in  the  village  that  she  would 
take  care  of  the  fires  as  usual,  if  a  couple  of  men  would  give 
her  a  hand  in  carrying  the  fagots  to  the  proper  points ;  this 
was  done  without  loss  of  time. 

Immediately  after  dark  the  old  woman,  unseen  by  any 
one,  busied  herself  in  carrying  several  bundles  of  shavings 
and  a  quantity  of  barrel-staves  to  the  cliff  against  which, 
upon  a  former  occasion,  the  mast  of  the  cutter  had  been 
dashed,  with  the  clinging  crew. 

She  found  the  pile  of  fuel  properly  arranged  by  the 
fishermen  upon  the  edge  of  the  precipice  overhanging  the 
narrow  entrance  of  the  bay.  On  the  opposite  side,  upon  a 
corresponding  height,  they  had  piled  the  fagots  for  the 
parallel  fire ;  but  this  it  was  not  Mother  Lee's  intention  to 
light.  Guessing  as  nearly  as  possible  the  width  of  the  en- 
trance  to  the  bay,  the  old  woman  carried  her  fagots  to  an 
equal  width  from  the  fuel  already  piled  upon  the  cliff.  Here 
she  carefully  arranged  the  shavings  and  the  staves  of  tar- 
barrels  in  readiness  for  the  occasion. 

There  were  now  three  piles  of  fuel  instead  of  two ;  thus 


132  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

* 
should  that  on  the  left  of  the  bay  remain  dark,  while  the 

other  two  on  the  right  were  lighted,  the  unfortunate  vessel, 
that  might  trust  to  the  fires  as  guides,  would  be  led  at  full 
speed  directly  against  the  cliff,  instead  of  to  the  mouth  of 
the  harbor.  Such  was  the  snare  that  the  treachery  of  the 
old  hag  had  designed. 

It  was  a  dark  night ;  there  were  neither  moon  nor  stars, 
and  a  heavy  surf  roared  against  the  rocks,  while  the  cliffs 
trembled  with  each  heavy  shock  as  the  waves  dashed 
against  their  sides. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !"  chuckled  the  woman,  as  she  leaned  over 
*the  pile  of  dry  wood  and  smeared  a  quantity  of  fresh  tar 
from  a  small  keg  upon  the  shavings.  "  This'll  make  it  burn 
brightly,  and  keep  the  fire  alight  till  it's  all  over,  I  know. 
Mother  Lee  knows  a  trick  or  two,  cuss  them  all !"  she  mut 
tered,  as  she  continued  to  dip  small  pieces  of  wood  into  the 
keg  of  tar,  which  she  arranged  beneath  the  pile,  wiping  her 
skinny  fingers  occasionally  upon  her  tarred  and  greasy  old 
rags,  with  which  she  was  thickly  clothed.  "  Mother  Lee 
knows  a  trick  or  two,"  she  continued.  "I'll  have  revenge 
to-night.  It  was  here  down  below  I  paid  'em  out ;  just  here 
where  the  cutter's  people  caught  it, cuss  'em  all!  and  here, 
Paul  Grey,  you'll  catch  it  too.  It  was  here  you  laid  hands 
on  Mother  Lee,  and  here  she'll  teach  you  that  she  knows  a 
trick  or  two." 

Thus  the  old  woman  muttered  to  herself  as  she  arranged 
her  yet  unlighted  beacons ;  she  had  prepared  herself  with 
about  a  gallon  of  tar,  in  order  to  keep  up  a  strong  blaze  by 
pouring  it  upon  the  fire  whenever  it  should  be  required. 

In  the  mean  time  the  villagers  had  gone  to  sleep,  and 
the  only  persons  who  watched  were  Mother  Lee  upon  the 
Point  and  Polly  Grey  from  the  cottage  window ;  Edith  and 
her  mother  had  retired  to  rest. 

The  wind  had  increased  in  violence,  and  nothing  could 


CAST    UP  BY    THE  SEA.  133 

be  seen  in  the  thick  darkness.  Mother  Lee  was  shivering 
with  cold,  but  she  had  never  ceased  muttering  curses 
through  her  chattering  gums.  "  He's  sure  to  come  with 
this  wind ;  I  never  knew  a  stiff  sou'- wester  without  some 
luck."  These  words^  had  hardly  escaped  from  her  thin  lips 
when  a  bright  light  flashed  like  a  fiery  thread  into  the  dark 
clouds  far  out  at  sea, 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !  There's  a  rocket !  I  said  so ;  I  knew  it. 
Here's  luck  from  the  old  quarter !  p'raps  we'll  catch  'em 
both ;  p'raps  it's  the  old  story  again,  and  the  cutter's  chasing : 
then  we'll  catch  'em  in  the  same  net,  and  make  a  night  of 
it.  Here's  luck  from  the  sou'-west  with  a  vengeance  !" 

As  the  excited  old  wretch  now  speculated  with  delight 
upon  the  probability  of  wrecking  both  vessels,  she  drew 
out  a  tinder -box  from  a  deep  pocket  in  the  many  and 
intricate  folds  of  her  clothes,  and,  with  hands  trembling 
with  devilish  eagerness,  she  struck  a  light  with  a  flint  and 
steel. 

"  Rot  the  sparks,  they  won't  catch  !"  exclaimed  the  old 
woman  in  a  rage,  as  she  vainly  struck  the  flint,  and  cut  her 
knuckles  in  the  dark  with  the  steel.  At  length  the  tinder 
caught,  and  shading  the  box  carefully  with  her  hands,  she 
placed  it  under  the  shelter  of  the  shavings  beneath  the  pile ; 
she  then  blew  the  spark  while  she  applied  a. match,  and  in  a 
few  seconds  the  tarred  shavings  took  fire  and  ignited  the 
entire  pile.  Taking  a  lighted  stick  from  the  fire  she  car 
ried  it  to  the  remaining  beacon ;  presently  it  blazed  bright 
ly,  and  the  snare  was  completed. 

Polly  could  see  from  the  cottage  window  the  rocket  at  sea, 
quickly  answered  by  one  from  the  coast-guard  station  and 
by  the  beacons  on  the  cliff,  but  she  could  not  detect  any  un 
usual  change  in  their  position,  as  the  entrance  to  the  bay 
was  so  exceedingly  narrow  that  the  wrong  direction  of  one 
fire  could  not  be  appreciated  in  the  darkness.  She  accord- 


134  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

ingly  waited  in  earnest  expectation  of  Paul's  safe  arrival,  as 
she  knew  that  his  vessel  would  sail  straight  for  the  entrance 
of  the  bay.  Polly's  heart  beat  so  loudly  that  she  could  hear 
it  throb  as  every  half  hour  increased  her  anxiety,  and  clasp 
ing  her  aching  breast  with  her  hands  she  prayed  fervently 
for  her  husband's  safe  return.  Once  she  thought  of  wak 
ing  Mrs.  Jones  and  Edith,  but  on  second  thought  she  wish 
ed  to  clasp  Paul  in  her  arms  on  his  arrival  without  other 
witnesses  to  her  joy ;  thus  Edith  and  her  mother  slept 
soundly. 

In  the  mean  time  the  vessel  neared  the  shore,  running 
straight  for  the  beacons  at  about  ten  knots  an  hour.  Moth 
er  Lee  stood  upon  the  cliff,  and  vainly  strove  to  pierce  the 
darkness. 

"  She  can't  be  far  off,"  said  the  old  woman.  "  I'll  put 
another  dose  of  tar  upon  the  fires  to  give  'em  a  blaze. 
That'll  do  it !"  she  muttered  j> "  ha,  ha,  ha  !  Mother  Lee 
knows  a  trick  or  two,  cuss  'em  all !"  She  chuckled  as  she 
poured  a  quantity  of  tar  upon  the  second  fire  at  the  point 
of  the  harbor's  mouth,  which  was  followed  by  a  roar  of 
flame.  "  Now  for  the  other  fire,  so  they'll  make  no  mis 
take  and  come  in  prettily  !"  she  again  muttered  as  she  ap 
proached  the  other  beacon ;  but  on  her  way  among  the 
loose  stones  her  foot  stumbled,  and  she  fell  over  her  open 
keg  and  became  covered  with  the  contents.  "  Rot  the 
stones,  and  rot  the  tar !"  she  exclaimed  in  a  rage,  as  she 
wrung  her  saturated  clothes  into  the  keg  lest  she  should 
lose  a  drop  of  her  precious  fuel.  At  this  moment  the  clouds 
parted,  and  the  moon  in  all  its  unexpected  beauty  burst 
upon  the  scene  and  illumined  the  hitherto  dark  surface  of 
the  sea.  "  Here  they  come  !  ha,  ha  !  Close  in  !  It's  all 
right !"  almost  shouted  the  old  woman  in  ecstasy,  a«,  having 
thrown  the  tar-keg  into  the  blaze,  she  shaded  her  brow  with 
both  her  skinny  hands  so  as  to  keep  out  the  dazzling  light 


DESTRUCTION    OF    MOTHER    LEE 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  137 

which  was  directly  behind  her.  The  fire  now  roared  up 
ward  with  increased  fury. 

The  brilliant  moonlight  plainly  discovered  a  vessel  with 
in  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  rock,  driving  in  full  sail  di 
rectly  upon  the  cliff,  with  the  evident  intention  of  passing 
between  the  beacons.  Mother  Lee  crouched  down  lest  her 
figure  should  be  seen  in  the  bright  light.  "  Cuss  your 
light !"  she  muttered,  as  she  shook  her  skinny  fist  at  the  un 
welcome  moon  ;  "  yer'll  be  showing  'em  the  rocks  ;"  and  she 
stooped  still  lower  to  avoid  being  seen.  In  doing  this,  with 
her  back  to  the  fire,  her  thick  stuff  dress,  already  saturated 
with  tar,  became  ignited  behind  without  her  knowledge, 
until  the  violent  wind  rapidly  spread  the  flame.  Quickly 
springing  to  her  feet,  she  turned  round,  and  in  an  instant 
the  rush  of  air  lashed  the  flames  into  forked  sheets,  which 
caught  with  wonderful  velocity  every  portion  of  her  inflam 
mable  dress.  The  awful  truth  flashed  upon  her,  and  with  a 
yell  that  might  have  been  heard  a  mile  distant  she  rushed 
away  from  the  edge  of  the  cliff  in  a  volume  of  red  fire  that 
ascended  high  in  the  air.  Thick  wreaths  of  black  smoke 
reddened  by  the  bright  glare  rolled  upward  in  a  murky  vol 
ume.  Shriek  succeeded  shriek  in  the  wildest  agony  of 
fright  and  bodily  torture,  as  the  fire  now  thoroughly  en 
veloped  her  and  searched  out  every  portion  of  her  cloth 
ing.  In  a  waving  pillar  of  flame  she  rushed  to  and  fro  in 
her  frantic  endeavors  to  escape  from  the  relentless  ene 
my,  and  the  hitherto  bright  beacons  sank  into  insignifi 
cance  before  the  blazing  pyramid  of  fire. 

The  apparently  doomed  vessel  was  within  three  hundred 
yards  of  the  cliff  when  this  third  beacon  startled  the  captain 
and  crew.  "Luff  !"  shouted  a  powerful  voice  onboard  the 
ship.  "  Let  go  the  anchor  !" 

Almost  in  the  same  instant  the  sudden  order  was  obeyed, 
and  the  bows  of  the  trembling  vessel  were  brought  quickly 


138  CAST  UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

to  the  wind,  as  a  heavy  sea  struck  her  and  washed  her  decks. 
At  this  moment,  as  she  lay  broadside  on  the  waves,  the  rat 
tle  of  the  anchor  could  be  heard  as  it  fell.  Once  more  a  sea 
struck  her  and  washed  clean  over  her,  but  as  it  passed  she 
was  seen  to  swing  to  her  anchor,  and  ride  easily  with  her 
head  to  wind.  Another  anchor  was  let  go,  the  cable  veered 
out,  and  the  vessel  was  saved  when  in  the  jaws  of  certain 
destruction. 

In  the  mean  time  Polly  Grey,  having  seen  the  frightful 
calamity  that  had  befallen  some  one  (she  knew  not  whom), 
had  rushed  instinctively  toward  the  spot.  Some  few  min 
utes  elapsed  before  she  neared  the  still  screaming  figure. 
The  fire  burned  with  a  steady  blaze,  although  the  clothes 
were  nearly  consumed,  as  the  quantity  of  tar  had  converted 
them  into  a  torch ;  but  before  Polly  reached  the  spot  the 
figure  was  reduced  to  a  blackened  mass,  with  bright  patch 
es  of  fire  adhering  to  many  portions  of  the  flesh  ;  there  was 
no  semblance  to  a  human  form,  excepting  the  fact  of  two 
black  skeleton  arms  and  legs  which  were  moving  with  fran 
tic  energy  as  the  figure  danced  to  and  fro  in  attitudes  of 
the  wildest  madness. 

Polly  was  horror-stricken.  She  knew  not  who  it  was, 
as  the  face  was  burned  to  a  cinder ;  but  as  she  approached 
within  a  few  yards  without  knowing  what  to  do,  the  monk 
ey-like  figure  uttered  a  terrific  yell,  and  bounded  over  the 
perpendicular  cliff. 

As  the  fiery  body  fell  with  increasing  velocity  from  the 
height  of  two  hundred  feet,  the  rush  of  air  revived  the 
flames,  which  shot  out  from  all  parts  of  her  scorched  car 
cass  as  Mother  Lee  rushed  headlong  into  the  boiling  surf. 
One  splash !  as  the  waves  received  her,  and  extinguished  the 
bright  flame  that  had  marked  her  fall,  in  the  exact  spot 
where  with  the  rock  she  had  once  crushed  the  struggling 
captain  of  the  cutter. 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  139 

Upon  the  cliff  stood  Polly  Grey,  appalled  with  the  hor 
rible  catastrophe ;  but  as  the  bright  moon  now  clearly  re 
vealed  the  scene  she  regarded  with  dismay  a  revenue  cut 
ter  lying  at  anchor  in  the  heavy  breakers,  instead  of  the 
long  expected  lugger.  She  took  a  hasty  glance  in  the  har 
bor;  it  was  empty.  The  Polly  had  not  arrived;  ah1  her 
hopes  of  seeing  Paul,  and  of  pressing  him  in  her  arms  once 
more,  were  gone  !  Sickened  by  her  vain  desire,  and  by  the 
scene  she  had  just  witnessed,  she  sat  down  by  one  of  the 
fires  that  had  destroyed  the  infamous  designer  of  the  snare. 

The  truth  now  flashed  upon  her  that  the  false  position 
of  the  beacons  could  only  have  originated  from  Mother  Lee, 
and  she  had  no  longer  any  doubt  that  the  attenuated  and 
dreadful  figure  that  she  had  seen  dancing  and  writhing  in 
the  flames  could  have  been  no  other  than  the  old  woman, 
who  had  met  with  this  just  but  fearful  retribution. 

It  now  began  to  rain  violently,  and  the  wind  suddenly 
changed  to  the  north,  blowing  off  the  shore ;  the  beacon 
fires  hissed  as  the  heavy  rain-drops  blackened  the  hot  em 
bers,  and  Polly,  cold  and  shivering,  was  driven  to  the  shel 
ter  of  her  barren  home.  Tired  with  watching,  and  sadden 
ed  with  constant  anxiety,  she  threw  off  her  wet  clothes,  and 
fell  asleep  as  soon  as  she  lay  upon  her  bed. 

The  next  morning  found  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  in 
great  excitement,  as,  instead  of  the  Polly,  the  revenue  cut 
ter,  commanded  by  Captain  Smart,  was  lying  snugly  within 
the  bay.  The  wind  off  the  shore  had  produced  a  calm  sea, 
and  they  had  towed  the  cutter  into  the  Cove  for  better  se 
curity. 

Joe  Smart  was  a  welcome  guest  at  the  cottage  on  the 
cliff,  and  Polly  Grey  had  met  him  at  the  entrance  full  of 
eager  curiosity. 

"  Where  is  Paul  ?  where  is  the  Polly  ?"  she  exclaimed, 
as  she  opened  the  door.  "  Tell  me  all  you  know,  I  beseech 


140  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

you,"  she  added,  as  she  gave  him  a  chair  by  the  window 
overlooking  the  sea. 

"I  know  nothing,  unfortunately,  my  dear  Mrs.  Grey," 
replied  Joe  Smart.  "  My  story  is  simply  told.  It  was  my 
duty  to  examine  the  character  of  a  suspicious-looking  lug 
ger  that  we  observed  in  the  offing  as  she  appeared  to  be 
beating  up  for  the  coast.  We  ran  toward  her  with  a  fair 
wind,  but  she  sailed  like  a  witch,  and  upon  seeing  our 
approach,  it  was  a  case  of  ( up  stick  and  away;'  for  she  al 
tered  her  tack,  and,  going  free,  she  left  us  out  of  sight,  and 
we  have  never  seen  her  since.  The  wind  then  changed,  arid 
as  evening  came  on,  it  blew  hard  from  the  sou'-west.  I 
knew  that  the  good  people  of  Sandy  Cove  were  attentive  in 
lighting  the  beacons  to  guide  the  Potty ',  or  any  other  friend, 
into  the  bay  upon  a  dark  night,  so  I  thought  I  might  as 
well  take  advantage  of  their  lamps  and  come  in  myself. 
The  night  was  stormy,  and  so  dark  that  we  could  not  make 
out  the  coast,  therefore  I  sent  up  a  rocket,  which  was  not 
only  answered  by  the  station,  but  by  two  fires  that  were  al 
most  immediately  lighted  on  the  cliff ;  these  we  all  consid 
ered  to  be  the  guides  to  the  harbor's  mouth.  Accordingly 
we  steered  directly  for  them,  with  the  intention  of  sailing 
straight  into  the  Cove.  As  we  neared  the  fires  within  a  ca 
ble's  length  I  suddenly  caught  sight  of  a  horrible  figure 
that  looked  like  some  old  witch,  that  sprang  from  the  earth 
blazing  with  fire,  dancing  in  tremendous  flames  with  frantic 
gestures  to  and  fro,  actually  between  and  on  a  level  with  the 
beacons.  Thus  providentially  warned  of  our  danger,  I 
knew  that  the  beacons  were  false  guides,  as  there  was  the 
high  cliff  between  them  instead  of  the  harbor's  mouth.  We 
were  running  at  nine  knots,  and  apparently  close  to  the  dan 
ger;  but  luffing  quickly  we  checked  the  cutter's  way  in 
time  to  let  go  a  couple  of  anchors :  after  a  good  ducking, 
as  several  seas  swept  us  before  she  came  fairly  round,  we 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  141 

rode  out  the  gale  until  the  wind  changed.  If  the  gale  had 
increased  we  must  have  been  lost,  as  the  cables  must  have 
chafed  through  upon  the  rocks;  even  now  a  couple  of 
strands  are  cut  through,  although  we  remained  but  a  short 
time  at  anchor.  I  now  find,"  continued  Captain  Smart, 
"that  I  am  indebted  to  old  Mother  Lee  for  the  false  bea 
cons,  as  I  have  just  heard  in  the  village  that  the  pile  on  the 
east  side  of  the  entrance  was  never  fired,  although  the  two 
real  beacons  were  prepared  by  the  fishermen.  Thus  the  old 
woman  had  laid  a  trap  that  had  nearly  proved  fatal  to  us, 
although  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  was  intended  for  the 
Potty.  For  what  reason  this  diabolical  scheme  was  pre 
pared  I  can  not  say." 

Polly  Grey  now  described  the  sight  she  had  witnessed, 
and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  Mother  Lee  had  perished 
by  a  frightful  death.  She  also  explained  the  uncalled-for 
hatred  that  the  old  woman  had  entertained  for  her  and 
Paul,  and  the  endeavor  she  had  made  to  wreck  the  Potty 
was  only  the  climax  to  a  long  career  of  crime  which  had 
now  met  with  its  reward. 

During  this  conversation  Edith  and  her  mother  joined 
the  party,  and  learned  with  astonishment  the  startling  events 
of  the  past  night.  Some  weeks  had  elapsed  after  this 
event,  and  the  affection  between  Edith  and  Polly  Grey  had 
increased  to  a  degree  that  rendered  the  idea  of  parting  in 
supportable.  The  widow,  Mrs.  Jones,  proposed  that  Polly 
Grey  should  live  with  them  at  the  rectory,  and  that  occa 
sionally  they  should  pass  a  month  or  two  at  the  cottage  on 
the  cliff  for  change  of  air  and  scene ;  but  that  at  any  rate 
Polly  should  not  reside  alone  until  something  should  be 
heard  of  her  missing  husband  and  her  boy  Ned. 

In  the  mean  time,  as  week  after  week  passed  by  without 
any  intelligence  of  her  husband,  Captain  Smart  lost  no  op 
portunity  of  soothing  Polly's  anxieties,  and  he  proved  his 


142  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

affection  for  his  absent  friend  and  his  devotion  to  his  old 
love  by  buoying  up  her  hopes  with  plausible  suggestions  as 
to  the  cause  of  Paul's  absence  and  the  probability  of  his  re 
turn  ;  at  the  same  time  he  took  care  to  supply  all  that  she 
could  possibly  require.  This  was  the  more  important,  as 
Polly  was  entirely  without  money :  several  debts  were 
pressing ;  as  Paul  had  suddenly  disappeared,  those  who  were 
his  creditors  sent  in  their  bills  and  demanded  a  settlement 
of  accounts.  Joe  Smart  had  foreseen  this  difficulty,  and  he 
at  length  prevailed  upon  Polly  Grey  to  intrust  him  with 
the  management  of  her  affairs  until  the  happy  day  should 
arrive  when  Paul  should  appear  in  person.  At  first,  Polly 
had  declined  his  well-meant  offer,  as  she  knew  that  it  placed 
her  in  a  difficult  position.  Joe  Smart  was  a  man  of  honor, 
but  at  the  same  time  he  had  been  her  unsuccessful  suitor : 
thus,  in  the  absence  of  her  husband,  it  was  an  affair  of  ex 
ceeding  delicacy  to  define  the  exact  degree  of  intimacy  that 
should  exist  between  them.  At  the  same  time  it  was  neces 
sary  that  the  debts  should  be  paid ;  but  how  was  that  pos 
sible  without  money  ?  She  had  no  claim  upon  Mrs.  Jones, 
the  widow,  who  although  rich,  was  totally  ignorant  of  busi 
ness  affairs,  and  she  herself  required  advice ;  therefore,  al 
though  much  against  her  inclination,  Polly  had  no  alterna 
tive  but  to  accept  the  assistance  of  Joe  Smart  until  her  hus 
band  should  return. 

While  pondering  over  her  difficulties  she  was  struck  by 
an  idea  which  in  some  measure  relieved  her  position ;  it  oc 
curred  to  her  that  the  widow  Jones  might  be  equally  assist 
ed  by  Joe  Smart,  should  he  consent  to  undertake  the  man 
agement  of  her  property,  in  which  case  his  attentions  to  her 
individually  would  be  shared  by  another,  and  would  not  ap 
pear  so  personal. 

To  her  great  satisfaction  Mrs.  Jones  agreed  to  the  pro 
posal.  The  indefatigable  Captain  Smart  was  always  ready 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  143 

to  render  assistance ;  and  the  arrangement  was  shortly  con 
cluded  that  he  was  to  have  the  entire  control  of  her  affairs, 
and  that  a  small  room  at  the  rectory  was  to  be  fitted  up  as 
an  office  to  which  he  could  at  all  times  have  free  access. 

Accordingly  there  was  no  restriction  upon  his  visits, 
and  he  contrived  that  he  could  attend  to  his  new  duties 
three  times  during  the  week  without  interfering  with  his 
official  occupation. 

This  was  a  source  of  much  comfort  to  the  widow  Jones, 
and  she  quickly  learned  to  rely  upon  the  one-armed  captain 
with  implicit  confidence,  and  even  to  look  forward  to  his 
periodical  visits  with  pleasure  and  almost  impatience ;  while, 
on  the  other  hand,  as  the  hopes  of  Paul's  return  grew  more 
distant,  it  can  not  be  denied  that  Joe  Smart's  sympathy  for 
Polly  Grey  was  fast  returning  to  the  warm  affection  that 
had  caused  the  disappointment  to  his  youth.  He  would 
hardly  dare  to  acknowledge  to  himself  that  he  loved  her  in 
any  other  light  than  as  his  old  friend  and  the  wife  of  his 
friend  Paul ;  but  as  he  secretly  analyzed  his  feelings  he 
started  at  the  throb  of  his  own  heart  when  the  thought 
passed  through  his  mind  "  that  Paul  was,  perhaps,  still  alive, 
and  might  again  return  !"  It  was  a  dangerous  position  for 
the  generous  and  sensitive  Joe  Smart.  He  was  now  thrown 
constantly  in  the  society  of  the  love  of  his  boyhood,  who 
was  still  beautiful,  and  who  always  met  him  with  a  warmth 
of  welcome  that  evinced  her  gratitude  for  the  many  kind 
nesses  she  had  received  from  his  hand.  But  in  Polly  Grey's 
breast  there  was  only  one  feeling :  this  was  a  devotion  to 
the  true  objects  of  her  affection,  Paul  and  Ned ;  not  a 
thought  of  another  love  ever  crossed  her  mind.  Next  to 
them  her  heart  clung  to  Edith,  and  she  regarded  Joe  Smart 
with  the  warm  but  pure  feelings  of  an  old  friend. 

Edith  had  grown  sad.  She  loved  Polly  Grey  as  a  new 
mother,  and  this  love  had  sprung  from  a  common  sorrow. 


144  CAST   UP  BJ   THE  SEA. 

She  now  frequently  visited  the  church-yard  to  sit  by  her 
father's  grave,  which  was  built  by  the  side  of  the  cross-stone 
where  she  and  Ned  had  last  parted.  This  she  had  tended 
with  care,  as  had  been  proposed  by  Ned  when  they  last  sat 
together  and  read  the  mysterious  epitaph,  "A  lady  un 
known,  aged  about  twenty-two.  Cast  up  by  the  sea  at 
Sandy  Cove." 

Polly  Grey  had  since  told  her  the  whole  sad  story,  and 
her  suspicions  that  the  poor  lady  was  Ned's  own  mother. 
Edith  had  planted  some  myrtles  around  the  spot,  and  with 
her  pretty  white  hands  she  kept  the  grass  closely  clipped ; 
and  every  Sunday  she  twined  a  new  wreath  and  hung  it 
upon  the  cross,  for  it  was  on  the  evening  of  a  Sabbath  that 
she  had  promised  Ned  to  attend  to  the  lonely  grave. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  145 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WE  must  now  return  to  Paul  Grey,  who  some  months 
since  had  sailed  from  Sandy  Cove,  expecting  to  re 
turn  after  an  absence  of  a  few  days,  but  of  whom  nothing 
had  been  heard. 

On  the  evening  that  he  sailed  the  wind  was  northerly, 
and  the  Polly  quickly  lost  sight  of  the  English  shore ;  by 
daybreak  on  the  following  morning  they  could  plainly  dis 
tinguish  the  coast  of  France.  The  Polly  now  hoisted 
French  colors  and  stood  in  for  Ushant.  As  the  lugger 
neared  the  land  a  rowing  boat  was  seen  to  approach  from 
the  shore;  Paul  stood  upon  the  deck,  and  carefully  exam 
ined  the  suspicious  object  with  the  telescope. 

"  It's  all  right,"  he  at  length  exclaimed  to  Dick  Stone, 
who  stood  at  the  helm ;  "  keep  your  course  and  meet  her : 
it's  Dupuis's  boat." 

The  Polly  accordingly  held  her  course,  and  the  spray 
dashed  from  her  bows  as  with  a  brisk  breeze  on  the  quarter 
she  flew  gayly  over  the  waves  toward  the  advancing  boat, 
that  belonged  to  Paul's  French  partner  in  the  contraband 
trade.  There  had  been  some  slight  alteration  in  the  lug 
ger's  equipment  since  we  last  described  her.  Around  the 
main-mast  by  the  deck  was  a  rack  for  muskets  and  board 
ing-pikes  ;  an  arm-chest,  well  filled  with  pistols,  muskets, 
and  cutlasses,  and  rendered  water-proof  by  a  thick  tarpaulin 
cover,  was  securely  lashed  and  cleated  in  front  of  the  miz- 
zen-mast;  while  amidships  was  a  long  brass  six-pounder, 
fitted  upon  a  traversing  carriage  upon  a  pivot,  which  could 

G 


146  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

be  trained  upon  any  point  of  the  horizon.  There  could  be 
no  doubt  that  the  vessel  was  arranged  for  .a  determined  de 
fense  in  the  event  of  attack,  as  the  crew  consisted  of  fifteen 
men  including  Paul.  These  were  carefully  selected,  and  a 
finer  set  of  sailors  would  rarely  be  seen ;  among  them  was 
the  surly  Dick  Stone,  who  had  so  stubbornly  resisted  the 
inquiries  of  Captain  Smart  on  his  visit  to  the  lugger.  This 
man  was  an  extraordinary  character:  he  was  devoted  to 
Paul,  and  to  the  clipper  lugger  in  which  he  sailed ;  he  was 
brave  to  a  fault,  and  his  coolness  in  the  midst  of  danger 
was  remarkable  ;  he  hated  the  entire  nation  of  Frenchmen, 
whom  he  termed  "  the  Mounseers ;"  next  to  them  he  dis 
liked  the  whole  race  of  revenue  authorities.  For  several 
years  he  had  served  on  board  a  man-of-war ;  but  the  varied 
occupations  of  smuggling  and  fishing,  with  the  dangers  at 
tendant  upon  such  professions,  formed  an  excitement  that 
was  the  charm,  of  his  existence.  He  was  seldom  seen  to 
laugh,  neither  was  he  ever  in  a  passion :  if  any  thing  dis 
turbed  him  he  invariably  turned  to  his  pipe  as  his  counsel 
lor  and  comforter  ;  a  few  deep  puffs  from  the  ever-present 
companion  would  either  be  followed  by  perfect  silence  and 
contentment,  or  by  some  carefully-considered  reply. 

Dick  Stone  was  at  the  helm,  and,  as  he  had  been  directed 
by  Paul,  he  kept  a  course  that  would  meet  the  advancing 
boat.  "  Take  the  tiller  for  a  moment,"  said  he  to  a  sailor 
who  stood  by  on  the  farther  side ;  and  without  moving 
from  his  place  he  took  from  his  pocket  a  blackened  clay 
pipe  about  three  inches  long,  at  the  same  time  he  inserted 
a  plug  of  tobacco  ;  then,  striking  a  light  with  a  flint  and 
steel  and  a  piece  of  burned  rag,  he  gave  two  or  three  sharp 
and  rapid  puffs,  that  brought  a  brilliant  glow  to  the  mouth 
of  the  bowl.  He  then  took  a  long  and  steady  suck  at  the 
never-failing  adviser,  until  his  cheeks  became  quite  hollow 
with  the  exhaustive  effort;  this  was  followed  by  a  dense 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  147 

cloud  of  smoke,  as  though  from  the  explosion  of  a  gun. 
He  rested  for  a  moment,  and  took  the  pipe  from  his  mouth 
as  though  to  give  his  brain  an  opportunity  of  testing  the 
effect.  Once  more  it  was  applied,  with  a  similar  result 
as  in  the  first  instance ;  and  as  the  wind  carried  the  smoke 
to  leeward  he  quietly  handed  the  magic  instrument  to 
the  sailor  from  whom  he  now  took  the  helm,  and  with 
invigorated  intelligence  he  directed  his  attention  to  the 
boat. 

"  She's  made  the  signal,"  said  Paul,  who  still  observed 
her  with  the  glass.  "  She  has  hoisted  the  English  flag  in 
exchange  for  the  French." 

"  Can  you  see  the  Mounseer,  Captain  Doopwee  ?"  asked 
Dick. 

"  I  can't  swear  to  him,"  replied  Paul,  "  but  there's  some 
one  very  like  him,  in  a  pilot  coat,  in  the  stern." 

"  Perhaps  we'd  better  have  the  muskets  ready,"  continued 
Dick,  as  he  again  took  his  pipe  from  the  sailor,  and  asked 
fresh  advice  by  a  vigorous  puff.  "  Just  put  a  pistol  and  a 
cutlass  on  the  deck  by  my  side,"  said  Dick  to  the  sailor 
who  had  assisted  him,  as  though  the  tobacco  had  suggested 
the  idea.  "  I  don't  trust  those  Mounseers,  they're  too  pur- 
lite  by  half ;  and  I  can't  see  Captain  Doopwee." 

Although  Paul  had  no  suspicion  of  the  boat  that  was 
now  rapidly  approaching,  he  saw  no  objection  to  Dick's 
practical  advice. 

"  Are  those  muskets  all  loaded  ?"  he  asked,  as  he  pointed 
to  those  in  the  rack  around  the  main-mast. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Dick ;  "  if  a  musket  ain't  loaded,  it's  like 
a  pipe  without  baccy.  I  loaded  those  muskets  myself  early 
this  morning,  as  I  don't  trust  the  Mounseers." 

"Well,"  said  Paul  to  a  sailor  near  him,  "unlock  the 
arm-chest,  and  let  each  man  strap  on  his  cutlass  and  put  a 
pistol  in  his  belt ;  lay  a  dozen  muskets  on  "the  deck,  in  ad- 


148  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

dition  to  those  upon  the  rack,  and  keep  a  bright  lookout 
as  we  near  the  French  boat." 

In  about  twenty  minutes  the  boat  was  within  a  pistol- 
shot  of  the  lugger;  Captain  Dupuis  was  not  among  the 
crew.  A  man  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  now  waved  a  small 
English  flag,  at  the  same  time  he  held  a  letter  in  his  out 
stretched  left  hand.  The  lugger  now  hauled  close  up  to 
the  wind,  and  lay  to,  as  the  boat  was  allowed  to  come  along 
side,  and  the  person  in  command  nimbly  leaped  on  board, 
while  the  boat  dropped  astern,  and  was  secured  by  a  rope 
to  the  Polly. 

"Bon  voyage, Monsieur  le  Capitaine  !"  said  the  sprightly 
individual  who  now  accosted  Paul.  "  I  have  de  plaisir  to 
introduce  to  you  von  lettre  of  de  part  de  notre  ami  Mon 
sieur  Dupuis,  who  makes  to  you  ses  compliments,  but  is 
engaged  vith  les  inegrimes,  or  vith  some  seekness  detesta 
ble,  dat  ties  him  to  his  bed." 

With  this  introduction  the  dapper  little  Frenchman  pre 
sented  his  letter,  which  Paul  immediately  read. 

Monsieur  Dupuis  described  that  he  was  unwell,  and 
therefore  could  not  meet  him  in  person,  but  that  the  bearer 
was  a  trustworthy  agent,  who  would  act  as  pilot,  and  guide 
the  Polly  to  a  secure  hiding-place,  where  she  could  disem 
bark  her  goods  and  receive  a  fresh  cargo  without  fear  of 
interruption.  After  having  asked  a  few  questions,  which 
were  satisfactorily  answered,  Paul  ordered  Dick  Stone  to 
obey  the  directions  of  the  French  pilot ;  and  the  lugger, 
having  been  allowed  to  fall  off  the  wind,  immediately  filled 
her  sails,  and  once  more  she  scudded  over  the  waves  with 
the  French  boat  and  crew  towing  astern. 

"  Vest-so u'-vest,  if  you  please,  mon  ami,"  said  the  polite 
pilot  to  the  imperturbable  Dick,  "till I  show  you  von  leetle 
port  vare  no  one  know." 

As  Dick  slightly  altered  the  lugger's  course  he  took  a 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  149 

long  puff  at  his  pipe,  and  emitted  a  cloud  of  smoke  that  for 
a  moment  obscured  the  Frenchman,  under  cover  of  which  he 
muttered,  % 

"  Too  purlite,  too  puiiite  by  a  long  chalk,  these  Moun- 
seers ;"  then,  as  the  smoke  cleared,  he  addressed  the  pilot 
direct. 

"What's  become  of  Captain  Doopwee, Mounseer ?" 

"  Ah,  mon  cher  ami,  dat  is  my  deer  fren,"  replied  the 
vivacious  Frenchman,  "  our  fren  le  Capitaine  Dupuis  has 
caught  a  coup  d'air,  he  has  taken  to  him  a  cold  vith  mal  a 
la  tete,  vat  ve  call  de  'megrimes,'  together  vith  a  spasm  in 
his  ventre,  vat  you  call  de  intestines." 

"  What  we  call  the  belly-ache,"  replied  Dick,  thought 
fully.  "  I  never  knew  a  Frenchman  without  the  belly-ache. 
It's  along  of  their  sour  wine.  But  what's  the  name  of  the 
place  you're  taking  us  to  ?"  continued  Dick. 

"  Ve  go  to  one  charmant  petit  endroit,  von  leetle  basin 
cache  deniere  dat  high  rocher." 

"  Very  likely  !"  replied  Dick,  suspiciously ;  "  but,  Moun 
seer,  what  have  you  got  to  do  with  us  ?  Captain  Doo- 
pwee's  the  mounseer  that  I  want  to  see." 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha  !"  laughed  the  Frenchman.  "  Patience,  pa 
tience,  mon  cher,  vait  von  leetle  half  hour,  nous  verrons 
Monsr.  Dupuis  tout  a  1'heure — all  in  de  hour.  You  under 
stand  ?" 

"  Too  purlite,  too  purlite  to  be  honest,"  muttered  Dick 
Stone,  as  he  mechanically  obeyed  the  directions  of  the 
French  pilot.  In  the  mean  time  the  lugger  rapidly  ap 
proached  the  bluff  headland,  behind  which  lay  the  secure 
harbor  described.  It  was  in  vain  that  Paul  scanned  the 
rocky  coast  with  his  glass ;  no  sign  of  a  dwelling  could  be 
seen ;  all  appeared  dangerous  and  desolate  in  the  extreme. 
They  now  neared  the  high  cliffs  of  a  long  projecting  head 
land. 


150  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

"  Give  to  me  de  helm,  mon  ami,  dis  is  one  vary  bad 
place,"  said  the  pilot,  as  the  Potty  just  passed  a  sunken 
rock,  over  which  the  surf  broke  in  curling  foam ;  and  tak 
ing  the  tiller  from  the  unwilling  Dick,  he  now  steered  along 
the  coast  direct  for  the  rocky  headland,  which  rose  abrupt 
ly  from  the  water  to  the  height  of  about  two  hundred  feet. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  lugger  neared  the  point.  The 
breeze  was  brisk,  and  the  spray  dashed  high  upon  the  face 
of  the  cliffs  as  the  heavy  waves  of  the  Atlantic  burst 
against  the  rocks ;  but  the  pilot  evidently  knew  the  coast, 
and  steering  within  a  hundred  paces  of  the  rocky  point,  he 
suddenly  rounded  the  headland,  and  turning  sharp  he  ran 
before  the  wind  direct  into  a  long  and  narrow  bay.  A 
lofty  rocky  island  presently  lay  before  them ;  the  Polly 
flew  along  in  the  calm  harbor,  and  suddenly  rounding  the 
island  she  passed  within  fifty  paces  of  a  large  vessel  that 
had  been  concealed  by  the  high  cliff;  at  the  same  instant 
the  pilot  brought  the  lugger  sharp  up  to  the  wind,  and  she 
lay  helpless  under  the  guns  of  a  French  eighteen-gun  cor 
vette.  All  this  had  happened  so  quickly  and  unexpectedly 
that  the  trap  was  first  discovered  wrhen  they  were  fairly 
caught.  As  the  Polly  had  rounded  the  rocky  island,  and 
the  corvette  first  burst  upon  their  view,  a  cloud  of  smoke 
had  puffed  from  Dick's  pipe ;  but  now  that  the  fatal  truth 
flashed  upon  them  as  the  lugger  lay  motionless,  with  her 
sails  flapping  in  the  wind,  he  quietly  took  his  pipe  from  his 
mouth,  shook  the  last  remnants  of  tobacco-ashes  from  the 
bowl,. and  muttering,  "Too  purlite  by  a  long  chalk,  these 
Mounseers,"  he  suddenly  seized  the  little  French  pilot  by 
the  collar,  and  catching  one  leg  with  his  left  hand  he  sw^ung 
him  overboard  as  though  he  had  been  a  child.  Hardly  had 
he  splashed  into  the  deep  water  than  the  French  boat,  that 
had  cast  off  the  rope  astern,  pulled  to  his  assistance,  and 
hoisted  the  polite  pilot  on  board  like  a  drowned  cat.  In 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  151 

the  mean  time  a^boat  full  of  armed  men  approached  them 
from  the  corvette,  that  was  only  a  few  yards  distant. 
There  was  no  chance  of  escape.  They  were  fairly  caught 
by  a  well-planned  trap,  devised  by  the  treacherous  Captain 
Dupuis,  who  owed  Paul  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  and 
who  thus  intended  to  avoid  the  debt,  at  the  same  time  to 
gain  the  prize,  by  consigning  Paul  to  a  French  prison. 

"The  Mounseers  sha'n't  take  my  pipe  without  a  fight 
for  it,  I  know,"  said  Dick,  as  a  number  of  Frenchmen  sud 
denly  boarded  the  lugger.  As  he  said  this  he  replaced  his 
trusty  ally  within  his  pocket,  and  picking  up  the  cutlass 
and  pistol  from  the  deck  he  advanced  a  pace  in  front  of  the 
helm  in  an  attitude  of  defense.  "  Come  on,  Mounseers  ! 
Komprenney,  where's  Captain  Doopwee?  I'll  cure  his 
miggrims,  the  purlite  varmint." 

Dick  Stone  was  perfectly  ready  to  fight  either  one  or  all, 
but  Paul,  who  had  at  once  perceived  the  trap  into  which 
they  had  fallen,  and  the  utter  impossibility  of  resistance, 
immediately  gave  the  order  that  all  men  should  lay  down 
their  arms,  as  several  of  the  most  desperate  had  followed 
Dick's  example,  and  had  already  drawn  their  cutlasses. 

A  French  officer  now  approached  Paul,  and  formally  an 
nounced  that  the  Polly  was  the  prize  of  the  corvette ;  at 
the  same  time  he  assured  him  that  both  he  and  the  crew 
would  be  well  treated.  Without  further  delay  they  were 
ordered  to  pack  up  their  clothes,  and  to  go  ashore  in  cus 
tody  of  a  guard  of  marines. 

In  an  hour  after  the  arrival  of  the  Polly  in  the  deceitful 
port  Paul  and  his  entire  crew  were  marched  through  the 
streets  of  a  French  village,  and  were  drawn  up  opposite  the 
prison  entrance. 

It  was  a  curious  old  building,  in  the  Norman  style  of 
architecture,  with  tall  conical  towers  of  great  height,  in 
which  were  numerous  small  grated  windows;  a  heavy  iron 


152  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

gate  closed  the  entrance  to  a  gloomy  courtyard,  and  a  large 
crowd  of  people  thronged  the  approach  to  this  uninviting 
spot  to  see  English  prisoners  led  in  triumph  to  the  jail. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  the  gate  they  were  met  by  the 
governor  and  the  principal  jailer,  who  received  them  form 
ally,  and  entered  their  names  upon  the  prison  books ;  after 
which  a  receipt  was  given  to  the  officer  in  command  of  the 
escort,  and  they  were  allotted  to  various  cells  in  separate 
parties.  Paul,  as  iheir  captain,  was  placed  in  a  superior 
apartment,  together  with  Dick  Stone,  whom  he  had  request 
ed  might  be  permitted  to  accompany  him. 

As  the  door  of  the  prison  had  closed  upon  their  admit 
tance  to  the  court-yard  Paul  had  noticed  a  remarkably  pret 
ty  girl  of  about  eighteen  who  had  fixed  her  eyes  upon  him 
with  extreme  earnestness.  As  he  was  now  led  with  Dick 
Stone  to  the  room  that  they  were  to  occupy  he  observed 
that  she  accompanied  the  jailer,  and  appeared  to  observe 
him  with  great  interest.  Taking  from  his  pocket  a  guinea 
that  was  pierced  with  a  hole  he  slipped  it  into  her  hand,  at 
the  same  time  laughingly  he  told  her  in  a  few  words  of 
broken  French  to  suspend  it  as  a  charm  around  her  neck 
to  preserve  her  from  every  thing  English. 

Instead  of  receiving  it  with  pleasure,  as  he  had  expected, 
she  simply  looked  at  it  with  curiosity  for  an  instarlt,  and 
then,  keeping  it  in  her  hand,  she  asked  in  her  native  tongue 
with  intense  feeling,  "  A  tu  vue  Victor  ?  mon  cher  frere 
Victor,  prisonnier  en  Angleterre  ?" 

"  Silly  girl,"  said  the  jailer  her  father,  "  England  is  a 
large  place,  and  there  are  too  many  French  prisoners  to 
make  it  likely  that  Victor  should  be  known :"  at  the  same 
time  the  feelings  of  the  father  yielded  to  a  vague  hope  as 
he  looked  inquiringly  at  Paul. 

"  There  are  many  fine  fellows,"  answered  Paul,  "  who 
have  had  the  misfortune  to  become  prisoners  of  Avar,  but 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  153 

they  are  all  cared  for,  and  receive  every  attention  in  En 
gland.  When  was  your  brother  taken  ?"  he  asked,  as  he 
turned  to  the  handsome  dark-eyed  girl  who  had  just  ques 
tioned  him. 

"  A  year  ago  next  Christmas,"  she  replied  ;  "  and  we 
have  only  once  heard  from  him ;  he  was  then  at  a  place 
called  Falmouth,  but  we  do  not  know  where  that  is." 

"  Falmouth  !"  said  Paul ;  "  why,  I  know  the  place  well ; 
with  a  fair  wind  the  Polly  would  make  it  in  a  few  hours 
from  the  spot  where  I  live.  Your  brother  then  is  imprison 
ed  only  half  a  day's  sail  from  my  house  !" 

"  Oh  !  what  good-fortune,  mon  Dieu !"  exclaimed  the 
excited  girl,  as  she  clasped  her  hands  in  delight,  as  though 
the  hour  of  her  brother's  deliverance  was  at  hand.  "  How 
can  we  reach  him  ?  surely  you  can  help  us  ?" 

"  Alas  !  I  am  also  a  prisoner,"  replied  Paul.  "  At  this 
moment  my  wife  is  sorrowing  alone  in  our  cottage  on  the 
cliff,  and  she  is  looking  vainly  upon  the  sea  expecting  my 
return.  How  can  I  help  you  ?  Believe  me,  if  it  were  pos 
sible,  I  would."  At  the  recollection  of  Polly's  situation 
Paul  hastily  brushed  a  tear  from  his  eye  with"  the  back  of 
his  rough  hand,  which  instantly  awoke  the  sympathy  of  the 
sensitive  girl  before  him. 

"  Ha !  you  are  married,"  she  exclaimed.  "  Is  she  young, 
and  perhaps  beautiful  ?" 

"Young  enough  for  me,  and  handsomer  than  most 
women,"  replied  Paul. 

At  this  moment  Dick  Stone  had  lighted  his  pipe,  and  as 
he  gave  two  or  three  tremendous  puffs  he  screwed  his  face 
into  a  profoundly  serio-comic  expression  and  winked  his 
right  eye  mysteriously  at  Paul. 

"  I  know  the  young  man,"  said  Dick,  who  now  joined  in 
the  conversation,  and  addressed  the  jailer  whom  he  had 
been  scrutinizing  closely ;  "  I  saw  him  once  at  the  prison  in 

G2 


154  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Falmouth.  Rather  tall?"  said  Dick,  as  he  surveyed  the 
six-foot  form  of  the  jailer. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  jailer,  eagerly,  "  as  tall  as  I  am." 

"  Black  hair  ?"  continued  the  impassive  Dick,  as  he  cast 
his  eyes  upon  the  raven  locks  of  both  father  and  daugh 
ter. 

"Yes,  as  dark  as  mine,"  exclaimed  the  now  excited 
jailer. 

"  Roman  nose  ?"  said  Dick,  as  he  looked  at  the  decided 
form  of  the  parent's  feature  that  was  shared  by  the  hand 
some  girl. 

"  Precisely  so,  well  arched,"  replied  the  father. 

"  Had  not  lost  an  arm  ?"  said  Dick. 

"No,  he  had  both  his  arms,"  said  the  jailer. 

"  And  his  name,"  said  Dick,  "  was  Victor  ?" 

"  Victor  Diore  !"  exclaimed  the  jailer's  daughter. 

"  Victor  Diarrhoea  !  Precisely  so — that's  the  man,"  re 
plied  the  stoical  Dick  Stone ;  "  that's  the  man.  I  know'd 
him  soon  after  he  was  captured ;  and  I  believe  he's  now  in 
Falmouth  jail.  I'd  almost  forgot  his  name,  for  you  Moun- 
seers  are  so  badly  christened  that  I  can't  remember  how 
you're  called." 

The  jailer  and  his  daughter  were  much  affected  at  this 
sudden  intelligence ;  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  their  new 
prisoner  had  seen  their  lost  relative,  who  appeared  to  be 
imprisoned  not  far  from  Paul's  residence,  and  their  hearts 
at  once  warmed  toward  both  the  captives. 

They  were  led  into  a  large  but  rather  dark  room,  scanti 
ly  furnished  with  two  trestle-beds,  a  table,  and  a  couple  of 
benches. 

"  We  must  talk  of  this  again,"  said  Paul  to  the  jailer's 
daughter ;  "  perhaps  an  exchange  of  prisoners  may  be  ar 
ranged  at  some  future  time  that  may  serve  us  all." 

"  Yes,"  added  Dick  Stone,  "  I  think  we  can  manage  it 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  155 

if  we're  all  true  friends ;  and  may  I  ask  your  name,  my 
dear  ?  for  you're  the  prettiest  Mounseer  that  I've  ever  set 
eyes  on." 

"  Leontine,"  replied  the  girl. 

"  Well,  Leonteen,"  continued  Dick,  "  if  you'll  come  and 
have  a  chat  sometimes  up  in  this  cold-looking  room  I  dare 
say  we'll  be  able  to  hit  off  some  plan  that'll  make  us  all 
agreeable.  I've  got  a  secret  to  tell  you  yet,  but  I  don't 
want  to  let  it  out  before  the  old  'un,"  said  Dick,  mysteri 
ously,  as  he  winked  his  eye  at  her  in  masonic  style ;  then, 
putting  his  lips  very  close  to  her  pretty  ear,  he  whispered, 
"  I  can  tell  you  how  to  get  your  brother  out  of  prison :  but 
you  must  keep  it  close" 

The  door  had  hardly  closed  upon  the  jailer  and  his 
daughter,  who  had  promised  to  return  with  breakfast,  than 
Paul  turned  quickly  toward  Dick  Stone  and  exclaimed, 
"  What  do  you  mean,  Dick,  by  such  a  romance  as  you 
have  just  composed?  Surely  all  is  false;  you  never  met 
the  French  prisoner  at  Falmouth  ?" 

"  Well,"  replied  Dick,  "  may  be  I  didn't ;  but  perhaps  I 
did  ;  who  knows  ?  You  see,  captain,  all's  fair  in  love  or 
Avar,  and  it  struck  me  that  it's  as  well  to  make  friends  as 
enemies ;  now  you  see  we've  made  friends  all  at  once  by  a 
little  romance.  You  see  the  Mounseers  are  very  purlite 
people,  and  so  it's  better  to  be  purlite  when  you're  in  France. 
You  see  the  pretty  little  French  girl  says  her  brother's  in 
jail  in  Falmouth;  well,  I've  seen  a  lot  of  French  prisoners 
in  Falmouth  with  black  hair,  and  two  arms  apiece,  and  a 
Roman  nose ;  so  very  likely  I've  seen  her  brother.  Well, 
you  see,  if  we  can  make  friends  with  the  jailer,  we  may 
p'raps  get  the  key  of  the  jail!  At  all  events,  it  ain't  a  bad 
beginning  to  make  friends  with  the  jailer's  daughter  before 
we've  had  our  first  breakfast  in  the  French  prison." 

As  Dick  Stone  finished  speaking  he  looked  out  of  the 


156  .  _4,     .CAST   VP  BY   THE  SEA. 

narrow  grated  window  that  in  the  thick  stone  wall  appeared 
as  though  it  had  been  intended  for  musketry;  from  this 
aperture  he  had  a  beautiful  view  of  the  bay  and  the  French 
corvette,  near  to  which  the  unfortunate  Polly  was  now  ly 
ing  at  anchor  with  the  French  colors  flying  at  the  mizen. 

"Well,  that's  a  bad  lookout,  I  must  say,"  said  Dick. 
"  Look  here,  captain,  there's  the  Polly  looking  as  trim  and 
as  saucy,  bless  her  heart !  as  though  we  were  all  aboard : 
and  there's  the  ugly  French  flag  flying,  and  she  don't  seem 
to  care  more  about  it  than  a  woman  with  new  ribbons  in 
her  bonnet." 

Paul  looked  at  his  beautiful  lugger  with  bitter  feelings. 
He  had  sailed  in  her  for  many  years,  and  she  had  become 
like  a  member  of  his  family.  Although  fifteen  years  old, 
she  had  been  built  of  such  well-seasoned  timber,  and  had 
been  kept  in  such  excellent  repair,  that  she  was  better  than 
most  vessels  of  half  her  age,  and  he  sighed  as  he  now  saw 
her  at  anchor  with  the  French  flag  fluttering  at  her  mast 
head.  For  a  long  time  he  gazed  intently  upon  her  without 
speaking  a  word ;  at  length  he  turned  sharply  round,  and 
in  a  quick,  determined  voice,  he  said,  "  Dick,  I'll  never  live 
to  see  the  Polly  disgraced.  If  you'll  stick  by  me,  Dick, 
we'll  retake  her  yet,  or  die !" 

For  some  moments  Dick  Stone  stared  Paul  carelessly  in 
the  face  without  a  reply ;  he  then  tapped  the  bowl  of  his  emp 
ty  pipe  upon  the  prison-wall,  and  carefully  refilling  it  with  to 
bacco,  he  once  more  lighted  it,  and  puffed  for  about  a  min 
ute  in  perfect  silence ;  he  then  spoke,  after  emitting  a  dense 
volume  of  smoke. 

"If  I'll  stick  to  you,  captain  ?  well,  p'raps  I  never  have  ? 
and  p'raps  Dick  Stone's  a  coward  ?  Well,  you  see,  of 
course  1*11  stick  to  yer;  but  there's  other  things  to  be 
thought  of.  What's  your  plan,  captain  ?  It's  of  no  use  do 
ing  any  thing  without  thinking  well  first.  Now  if  you'll  tell 


(  UNIVERSITY 
V          OIF        / 

CAST    UP  BY   THE  Sj^Sj^ \ FQj*3J^l 5 7 

me  what  you  mean  I'll  have  a  little  smoke,  just  half  a  pipe, 
and  111  tell  you  my  opinion." 

"  My  plans  are  not  absolutely  denned,"  said  Paul,  "  but  I 
think  that  by  making  Yriends  with  the  jailer's  daughter  we 
may  induce  her  to  risk  much  in  the  endeavor  to  rescue  her 
brother.  We  might  prevail  upon  her  to  assist  in  our  escape 
— she  might  even  accompany  us  to  England.  Could  we 
only  free  ourselves  from  these  prison-walls  on  a  dark  night, 
when  the  wind  blows  strong  from  the  south,  why  should 
we  not  surprise  the  French  crew,  and  carry  off  the  Polly  ? 
Once  at  sea,  there  is  nothing  that  could  touch  her  !"  Paul's 
eyes  glistened  as  he  spoke,  and  the  muscles  stood  out  from 
his  brawny  arm  as  he  clenched  his  fist,  and  added,  "If  I 
could  only  once  lay  hold  of  Dupuis's  throat,  and  save  the 
Polly,  I  ask  no  greater  fortune  !" 

Puff,  puff,  puff,  came  in  rapid  succession  from  Dick's 
pipe  at  these  words ;  at  last,  the  long  exhaustive  suck  ar 
rived  in  its  turn,  and  the  usual  cloud  of  smoke  enveloped 
his  head,  which  always  exhilarated  his  brain. 

"Well,  captain,  d'ye  see,"  replied  Dick,  "I'll  stick  to 
you  in  any  thing,  and  there's  no  doubt  that  there's  a  chance 
of  success  if  the  pretty  little  Mounseer  will  only  help  us. 
But  you  see,  from  what  I  know  of  womankind,  they're  very 
fond  and  very  purlite  for  their  brothers,  but  they  won't  run 
much  risk  for  'em.  Now  if  they're  in  love  they're  as  good 
as  bull-dogs ;  and  so  I  think  it's  a  pity  as  how  you  told  her 
that  you'd  got  a  wife  a  looking  out  for  you  at  home !  If 
you'd  have  told  her  that  you  were  a  single  man,  and  p'raps 
given  her  a  kiss  when  you  gave  her  the  lucky  guinea,  we 
might  have  got  a  little  love  to  help  us,  and  then  we'd  have 
had  a  better  chance,  as  she'd  have  gone  off  with  us  all  of  a 
heap." 

"Dick,  you  have  no  conscience"  replied  Paul;  "you 
surely  would  not  deceive  the  girl  in  such  a  heartless  man- 


158  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ner  ?  No  !"  continued  Paul,  "I  have  told  her  the  truth,  and 
if  she  can  help  us  I'll  do  my  best  to  save  her  brother  ;  but, 
on  the  other  hand,  why  should  not  you,  Dick,  make  yourself 
agreeable  to  her  ?  You're  not  a  bad-looking  fellow,  why 
should  not  you  do  the  love-making  ?" 

Dick  made  no  reply,  but  thoughtfully  puffed  at  his  pipe ; 
then  laying  down  his  smoking  counselor  upon  the  window- 
sill  he  thrust  -his  right  hand  into  a  deep  breeches  pocket, 
and  extracted  a  black  horn  pocket-comb,  with  which  he  be 
gan  at  once  most  carefully  to  arrange  his  hair. 

Despite  the  loss  of  the  Potty  and  the  misery  of  his  situ 
ation  Paul  burst  out  laughing  as  he  witnessed  Dick's  cool 
determination  to  prepare  for  love-.making. 

"I  don't  know  how  these  Mounseers  begin,"  said  the 
methodical  Dick ;  "  they're  a  very  purlite  people,  and  so 
they  mayn't  like  our  customs.  In  England  we  take  'em 
round  the  waist  with  both  arms,  and  give  'em  a  kiss ;  but 
p'raps  it's  better  not  to  begin  all  at  once.  I'll  just  ask  her 
to  sit  on  my  knee  at  first,  so  as  not  to  frighten  her." 

"  Better  not,  Dick,"  said  Paul,  laughing ;  "  I'm  afraid  she 
wouldn't  understand  your  modesty.  Only  make  yourself 
agreeable,  but  don't  touch  her,  and  let  time  do  the  rest." 

They  were  interrupted  in  their  conversation  by  the  turn 
ing  of  the  creaking  door-lock,  and  the  jailor  and  his  daugh 
ter  entered  with  a  loaf  of  black  bread  and  two  jars  of  wa 
ter  and  of  milk,  which  they  placed  upon  the  table.  Leon- 
tine  had  already  strung  the  guinea  upon  a  cord,  which  was 
now  suspended  from  her  neck. 

"  Ha !  that  looks  very  well !"  said  Paul ;  "  few  French 
girls  wear  the  English  king's  image  round  their  necks." 

"  I  know  an  Englishman  who  wears  a  French  girl's  pic 
ture  in  his  heart,"  said  Dick,  who  with  a  sly  wink  at  Paul 
as  a  preface  thus  made  his  first  bold  advance. 

"A  what  ?"  inquired  Leontine. 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  159 

"A  poor  devil,"  replied  Dick,  "who  doesn't  care  how 
long  he's  shut  up  in  a  French  prison  with  such  a  pretty  lit 
tle  Mounseer  for  a  jailer" 

"  Ha,  ha  !  you  English  know  how  to  pay  compliments," 
answered  Leontirie,  who  knew  just  sufficient  English  to  un 
derstand  Dick's  attempt  at  French. 

"•Yes,  we're  considered  a  very  purlite  people," 'replied 
Dick, "  and  we  have  a  purlite  custom  when  we  goes  to  pris 
on  of  shaking  hands  with  the  jailer  and  kissing  the  hand  of 
his  pretty  daughter."  As  Dick  said  these  words  he  first 
grasped  the  hand  of  the  jailer,  and  then  raised  to  his  lips, 
redolent  of  tobacco,  the  pretty  hand  of  Leontine ;  at  the 
same  time  he  whispered  to  her,  "  Don't  forget  that  I  have 
a  secret." 

Far  from  being  disconcerted  at  Dick's  politeness,  Leon- 
tine  naively  remarked  :  "  You  can't  tell  a  secret  before  three 
persons ;  but  we  shall  have  plenty  of  opportunities,  for  you 
may  pay  us  a  longer  visit  than  may  be  agreeable." 

Dick  in  reply  to  this  remark  suddenly  assumed  one  of 
his  most  mysterious  expressions,  and  winking  one  eye  at 
Leontine,  he  placed  his  forefinger  upon  his  lips  as  though 
to  enjoin  silence,  and  whispered  in  her  ear:  "Make  an  op 
portunity  :  the  secret's  about  your  brother." 


160  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"\TORE  than  two  months  had  passed  wearily  in  the  French 
•*•"•*•  prison,  during  which  bolh  Paul  and  Dick  Stone  had 
been  buoyed  up  in  inaction  by  the  hope  of  carrying  into  ex 
ecution  a  plan  for  their  escape.  The  only  view  from  the 
prison-windows  was  the  sea,  and  the  street  and  beach  in  the 
fore-ground.  The  Polly  still  lay  at  anchor  in  the  same  spot, 
as  some  difficulty  had  arisen  between  Captain  Dupuis  and 
the  captain  of  the  corvette  that  had  to  be  settled  in  the  law 
courts. 

In  the  mean  time  both  Paul  and  Dick  Stone  had  not  only 
become  great  friends  of  the  jailer,  Jean  Diore,  and  his 
daughter,  but  Dick  had  quickly  found  an  opportunity  to 
disclose  his  secret,  which  succeeded  in  winning  the  heart  of 
the  enterprising  Leontine.  Dick  had  made  a  declaration  of 
love,  and  to  prove  his  sincerity  he  proposed  that  he  should 
conduct  her  direct  to  her  brother  in  the  English  prison, 
whose  release  should  be  effected  by  an  exchange ;  and  he 
had  persuaded  her  that,  if  she  should  aid  in  the  escape  of 
Paul  and  the  entire  crew  of  the  Polly,  there  would  be  no 
difficulty  in  obtaining  her  brother's  release  when  the  facts 
should  become  known  to  the  English  authorities.  Paul  had 
added  his  persuasions  to  those  of  Dick  Stone ;  he  had  ex 
cited  the  sister's  warmest  feelings  by  painting  the  joy  she 
would  feel  in  rescuing  her  brother  from  a  miserable  exist 
ence,  and  he  had  gained  her  sympathy  by  a  description  of 
the  misery  and  suspense  that  his  own  wife  must  be  suf 
fering  in  her  ignorance  of  all  that  had  befallen  him.  Leon- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  161 

tine  was  won.     She  was  brave  as  a  lion,  and,  her  determina 
tion  once  formed,  she  was  prepared  to  act  without  flinching. 

Many  times  Dick  Stone  had  lighted  his  pipe,  and  puff 
ed  and  considered  as  he  took  counsel  with  Paul  on  the  plan 
that  the  latter  had  proposed ;  all  was  agreed  upon. 

Paul  had  thus  arranged  the  attempt  at  escape.  All  was 
to  be  in  readiness  for  the  first  gale  that  should  blow  from 
either  west  or  south.  Leontine  had  provided  him  with  a 
couple  of  large  files  and  a  small  crowbar  about  two  feet 
long,  which  she  had  purchased  in  the  village  with  money 
supplied  by  Paul ;  these  she  had  introduced  to  his  room  by 
secreting  them  beneath  her  clothes. 

At  various  times  she  had  purchased  large  supplies  of 
strong  twine  in  skeins,  which  to  avoid  suspicion  she  had 
described  as  required  for  making  nets  ;  these  she  had  also 
introduced  daily,  until  sufficient  had  been  collected  for  the 
manufacture  of  ropes,  at  which  both  Paul  and  Dick  Stone 
worked  incessantly  during  the  night,  and  concealed  them  in 
the  daytime  within  their  mattresses,  by  cutting  a  hole  be 
neath.  Whenever  the  time  should  arrive  it  had.  been  ar 
ranged  that  Leontine  was  to  procure  the  keys  of  the  cells 
in  which  the  crew  of  the  Polly  were  confined,  and  she  was 
to  convey  the  prisoners  at  night  into  the  apartment  occu 
pied  by  Paul  and  Dick,  whence  they  were  to  descend  from 
the  window  by  a  rope  into  the  fosse  that  surrounded  the 
prison  ;  fortunately,  this  ditch  was  dry,  and  Leontine  was  to 
fix  a  stake  into  the  ground  above  the  fosse,  from  which  she 
was  to  suspend  a  knotted  rope  after  dark,  to  enable  the  pris 
oners  to  ascend  upon  the  opposite  side. 

The  great  difficulty  would  be  in  avoiding  the  sentry,  who 
was  always  on  guard  within  fifty  paces  of  the  spot  where 
they  would  be  forced  to  descend,  and  whence  they  must 
afterward  ascend  from  the  ditch.  The  affair  was  to  be  left 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  Leontine,  who  assured  Paul  and 


162  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

Dick  that  she  would  manage  the  sentry  if  they  would  be 
ready  at  the  right  moment  to  assist  her.  When  freed  from 
the  prison,  they  were  to  make  a  rush  to  the  beach,  seize  the 
first  boat,  of  which  many  were  always  at  hand,  and  board 
and  capture  the  Potty;  once  on  board  the  trusty  lugger,  in 
a  westerly  or  southerly  gale,  and  Paul  knew  that  nothing 
could  overtake  her. 

Such  was  the  plan  agreed  upon,  and  every  thing  had  been 
carefully  prepared  and  in  readiness  for  some  days,  but  tlie 
favorable  weather  had  not  yet  arrived.  Daily  and  hourly 
Paul  looked  from  the  grated  windows  upon  his  beloved 
Polly,  which  lay  still  at  anchor  idle  in  the  bay,  about  fifty 
yards  from  the  French  corvette. 

At  length,  as  one  early  morning  he  as  usual  looked  out 
from  his  prison,  he  saw  a  boat  pulling  from  the  shore,  fol 
lowed  quickly  by  several  others  conveying  cargo,  and  steer 
ing  for  the  Polly;  the  bustle  upon  the  deck,  and  the  refit 
ting  of  ropes  and  rigging,  plainly  discernible  from  the  pris 
on-window,  left  no  doubt  upon  Paul's  mind  that  the  Polly 
was  about  to  leave  the  harbor,  and  perhaps  be  lost  to  him 
forever. 

At  this  pamful  sight  Dick  lighted  his  pipe,  and  smoked 
with  violence  until  the  tobacco  was  half  consumed,  when  sud 
denly,  in  a  fit  of  excitement  that  was  quite  unusual,  he  hasti 
ly  put  his  adviser  in  his  pocket,  and  seizing  a  file  from  be 
neath -his  mattress  he  immediately  commenced  work  upon 
the  bottom  of  an  iron  bar  that  protected  the  narrow  win 
dow. 

"That's  right,  Dick,"  said  Paul;  "now  or  never  !  The 
clouds  are  hurrying  up  from  the  sou'-west,  and  I  think  it's 
coming  on  to  blow  ;  as  old  Mother  Lee  says,  ( Luck  comes 
from  the  sou'-west ;'  so  bear  a  hand,  and  give  me  the  file 
when  you  get  tired." 

As  Paul  had  observed,  the  scud  Avas  flying  rapidly  across 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  163 

the  sky  from  the  right  quarter,  and  both  men  worked  hard 
alternately,  and  in  an  hour  they  had  divided  the  thick  iron 
bar  close  to  the  base. 

"Now  for  the  top,"  said  Dick.  "We'll  soon  cut  it 
through,  although  it's  harder  work,  as  we  can't  put  our 
weight  to  the  file." 

"  Never  mind  the  file,"  said  Paul,  who  now  grasped  the 
severed  bar  in  his  iron  hands ;  "  with  such  a  purchase  I 
could  wrench  the  bar  asunder.  Something  shall  give  way," 
he  said,  as .  with  the  force  of  Samson  he  exerted  every 
muscle,  and  wrenched  the  bar  from  its  loosened  base.  The 
stone  in  which  it  was  fixed  first  crumbled  at  the  joint,  and 
then  suddenly  cracking,  Paul  fell  sprawling  on  his  back  with 
the  bar  in  his  hands,  while  a  heavy  fragment  of  stone  fell 
upon  the  floor. 

"Take  care,  captain,"  said  Dick;  "  gently  with  the  stones. 
We  shall  alarm  the  jailer  if  we  make  so  much  noise.  Why, 
you've  settled  the  job  in  one  pull !" 

"  Here,  Dick,"  continued  Paul,  as  he  sprang  from  the 
floor,  "  take  the  bar  while  I  move  a  stone  from  the  side  with 
the  crow.  We  won't  take  it  right  out  lest  the  jailer  should 
notice  it  if  he  comes  with  the  breakfast ;  but  we'll  loosen  it 
so  that  we  can  remove  it  quickly  when  necessary,  as  the 
window  is  too  narrow  for  our  shoulders." 

Paul  then  inserted  the  thin  edge  of  the  crowbar,  and  by 
gently  working  it  backward  and  forward  he  removed  the 
stones  and  enlarged  the  aperture  sufficiently  to  admit  the 
passage  of  a  man ;  he  then  replaced  the  stones,  together 
with  the  bar,  and  so  arranged  the  window  that  no  one  would 
have  observed  any  disturbance  unless  by  a  close  inspection. 
Hardly  had  they  completed  their  work  when  footsteps  were 
heard  without,  succeeded  by  the  turning  of  the  key  in  the 
creaking  lock  of  their  door.  In  an  instant  Dick,  who  had 
lighted  his  pipe,  leaned  upon  the  window-sill  and  looked 


1C4  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

steadfastly  out  of  the  window,  at  the  same  time  he  puffed 
such  dense  clouds  of  smoke  as  would  have  effectually  screen 
ed  any  damage  that  had  been  done  by  the  work  of  the  crow 
bar. 

The  door  opened,  and  fortunately  Leontine  appeared  in 
stead  of  her  father.  She  brought  the  breakfast. 

"  Quick  !"  she  exclaimed,  "  there  is  no  time  to  lose.  The 
wind  has  changed,  and  people  say  we  shall  have  a  gale  from 
the  sou'-west.  The  Polly  is  to  sail  to-morrow.  Captain 
Dupuis  has  loaded  her,  and  he  w^ill  himself  depart  in  the 
morning  should  the  wind  be  fair.  You  must  all  get  ready 
for  the  work,"  continued  the  determined  girl,  as  her  large 
eyes  flashed  with  energy. 

"  We  have  not  been  idle,  my  pretty  Leontine,"  said  Paul, 
as  he  exhibited  their  morning's  work,  "  but  we  now  depend 
upon  you.  It  will  be  quite  dark  at  eight  o'clock.  You 
must  have  the  rope  ready  secured  to  this  small  crowbar, 
driven  into  the  earth  on  the  other  side  the  fosse  ;  the  bar  is 
sharp  and  heavy ;  it  will  make  no  noise  if  you  can  manage 
to  strike  it  into  the  ground  in  exactly  the  same  spot  three 
or  four  times,  and  simply  hang  this  loop  upon  it,  pressed 
close  down  to  the  base."  At  the  same  time  he  gave  her 
the  bar,  and  a  rope  coiled,  about  twenty  feet  in  length. 
Paul  continued,  "  you  must  also  be  punctual  in  bringing  the 
other  prisoners  here  at  half  past  eight,  and  tell  them  to  take 
their  shoes  off  and  to  tie  them  round  their  waists.  But 
how  about  the  sentry  ?"  asked  Paul. 

"Don't  be  afraid,"  said  Leontine;  "I  have  already  ar 
ranged  every  thing  this  morning.  Fortune  has  favored  us ; 
Fraii9ois  is  to  be  on  guard  to-night :  the  guard  is  relieved 
at  eight  o'clock,  at  which  time  he  will  come  on  duty,  there 
fore  we  have  nothing  to  fear  for  some  hours.  I  will  man 
age  Fran9ois ;  leave  him  to  me.  He  is  an  old  lover  of  mine, 
and  I  have  appointed  to  meet  him  to-night." 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  165 

At  this  confession,  thus  boldly  made,  Dick  Stone  puffed 
violently  at  his  pipe,  and  was  almost  concealed  by  his  own 
smoke,  when  Leontine  continued  : 

"  He  is  a  sad  fellow,  and  has  given  me  much  trouble,  but  I 
shall  pay  him  out  to-night.  Look  here,  Dick,' '  she  continued, 
"  if  you  are  worth  having  you'll  help  me  quickly  to-night, 
for  .1  shall  depend  upon  you.  .  I  have  agreed  to  meet  Fran- 
§ois  this  evening  at  half  past  eight,  as  I  have  pretended  to 
accept  his  love.  To  avoid  detection  (as  he  will  be  on  guard), 
I  am  to  be  disguised  as  a  soldier,  and  he  will  send  me  the 
clothes  and  arms  to-day.  I  shall  keep  my  appointment,  and 
engage  him  in  conversation  so  closely  that  he  will  not  hear 
you ;  but  at  the  last  moment  you  must  be  ready  to  rush 
upon  him  and  secure  him,  while  I  endeavor  to  prevent  him 
from  giving  an  alarm.  At  the  same  time,"  continued  Le 
ontine,  "you  must  promise  not  to  hurt  him, for  Fran9ois  is 
a  good  fellow,  and  is  very  fond  of  me." 

"  Only  let  me  get  hold  of  him,"  cried  Dick  Stone. 

"Will  you?"  replied  Leontine;  "then  the  enterprise 
ceases  at  the  very  beginning.  You  shall  not  escape  unless 
you  swear  that  no  harm  shall  befall  Francois." 

"Do  not  be  afraid,"  said  Paul;  but  he  continued,  "it 
may  be  a  difficult  affair  if  he  is  a  powerful  man — what  size 
is  he  ?" 

"  Oh,"  replied  Leontine,  laughing,  "  a  little  fellow,  about 
as  big  as  I  am.  You  could  soon  manage  poor  Fra^ois  :  he 
would  be  a  mere  child  in  the  grasp  of  such  a  man  as  your 
self." 

"All  right,"  said  Paul,  "  then  there's  no  fear  of  murder ; 
depend  upon  me,  Leontine,  no  harm  shall  touch  him." 

"  Mind  you  seize  the  right  man,"  said  the  gay  Leontine, 
"  when  I  give  the  signal,  as  I  shall  be  in  a  soldier's  uniform, 
and  you  may  mistake  me  for  Fra^ois.  The  signal  will  be, 
'A  friend  ;'  the  instant  that  I  give  the  word,  seize  and  dis- 


166  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

arm  him  before  he  can  fire  his  musket.  You  will  then  have 
two  muskets,  mine  and  that  of  Fran9ois,  with  which  you 
must  take  your  chance  in  boarding  the  Polly" 

"  That  will  do,"  said  Paul;  "let  me  only  set  foot  on  the 
Potty's  deck,  and  I'll  soon  settle  accounts  with  Monsieur 
Dupuis.  But  now,"  added  Paul,  "  we  are  agreed  upon  all 
points,  'and  we  depend  upon  you,  Leontine ;  do  not  forget 
to  visit  the  beach,  and  see  that  the  oars  and  a  boat-hook, 
with  a  sharp  axe  to  cut  the  cable,  are  placed  in  readiness 
within  a  large  boat,  to  which  you  must  guide  us  when  we 
leave  the  prison." 

"Never  fear,"  said  Leontine;  "I  shall  not  fail  in  my 
part,  and  I  shall  give  the  signal  as  the  clock  chimes  half 
past  eight ;  you  must  be  ready  on  the  instant.  Here  is  a 
letter,"  continued  the  girl,  as  the  tears  started  to  her  eyes, 
"  that  I  have  written  for  my  father ;  you  must  leave  it  on 
the  table  when  you  escape,  and  it  will  explain  all ;  he  will 
then,  perhaps,  forgive  nie  when  he  knows  that  I  risk  my 
life  for  Victor."  Saying  which,  she  left  the  room  and  lock 
ed  the  door  behind  her. 

Leontine  now  hurried  her  preparations,  while  the  day 
passed  wearily  away  to  those  who  were  awaiting  the  hour 
of  their  deliverance. 

Paul  and  Dick  Stone  counted  the  hours  as  the  neighbor 
ing  church  clock  struck  heavily  on  the  bell. 

"  We  shall  run  to  the  Cove  in  twelve  hours,"  said  Paul, 
"  if  this  breeze  lasts  ;  it's  blowing  a  gale  out  at  sea,  and  the 
Poll^ll  fly  like  a  witch  on  a  broomstick." 

"  We've  got  to  take  her  first,"  replied  the  wary  Dick. 
"  There's  many  a  slip  'twixt  the  cup  and  the  lip !" 

"We  are  short  of  weapons,  no  doubt,"  said  Paul;  "but 
we  must  take  off  the  sword-bayonets  from  the  muskets,  and 
give  them  to  two  of  the  men.  I  will  be  first  on  board,  and 
knock  down  Dupuis.  Let  the  men  rush  to  the  mam-mast 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  167 

and  secure  the  arms  from  the  rack  the  moment  that  they 
reach  the  deck,  while  you,  Dick,  seize  the  helm.  I  will  tell 
off  four  men  to  loose  the  sails  and  to  cut  the  cable  directly 
that  we  get  on  board.  This  will  leave  us  ten  men  to  do  the 
fighting.  If  all  goes  well  we  shall  find  the  better  part  of 
the  French  crew  down  below,  and,  once  in  possession,  of  the 
deck,  they  will  be  at  our  mercy.  This  gale  of  wind  will 
start  the  Potty  like  a  wild  duck  the  instant  that  the  cable 
is  cut,  and  we  shall  be  round  the  corner  of  the  island  before 
the  corvette  can  bring  her  guns  to  bear  upon  us.  Thei), 
with  a  dark  night  and  a  heavy  gale,  the  Potty  can  take  care 
of  herself." 

The  day  at  length  passed  away,  and  the  sun  set.  The 
wind  roared  through  the  narrow  streets  of  the  town,  and 
whistled  loudly  around  the  pointed  towers  of  the  old 
prison. 

"  There  could  not  be  a  better  night,"  said  Paul ;  "  tho 
wind  roars  like  a  lion,  and  nothing  will  be  heard  by  the 
sentry." 

As  he  was  speaking  the  clock  struck  eight.  As  the  last 
tones  of  the  bell  died  away  the  lock  of  the  door  creaked  as 
the  key  turned  from  the  outside ;  and  presently  without  a 
sound  of  footsteps,  thirteen  strapping  fellows,  who  had  been 
liberated  by  Leontine,  softly  entered  the  room,  carrying  their 
shoes  strapped  to  their  belts,  as  had  been  directed  by  Paul. 

"No  time  was  lost  in  useless  greeting ;  but  the  severed 
bar  of  the  window  was  at  once  made  use  of  as  a  lever  to  re 
move  the  heavy  stones,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  an  ap 
erture  was  made  sufficiently  large  for  an  exit. 

Paul  now  fastened  the  rope  that  had  been  concealed  in 
his  mattress  to  the  centre  of  the  iron  bar ;  then,  lowering 
the  other  end  from  the  window  until  it  reached  the  fosse, 
he  fixed  the  bar  across  the  base,  so  that  it  was  secured  on 
either  side  by  the  masonry. 


168  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

All  was  now  ready,  and,  lest  they  should  be  disturbed, 
Dick  Stone,  having  received  the  key  from  Lcontine,  locked 
the  door  on  the  inside. 

Paul  went  first.  It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  he 
squeezed  his  broad  shoulders  through  the  narrow  opening ; 
but  once  without  the  wall  he  nimbly  lowered  himself  to  the 
bottom,  a  depth  of  about  sixty  feet. 

In  a  much  shorter  time  than  might  be  supposed  the 
active  sailors  had  succeeded  in  reaching  the  bottom  of 
the  fosse,  without  having  made  the  slightest  noise.  The 
wind  blew  louder  than  before ;  there  was  no  moon,  and 
merely  a  faint  light  was  given  at  intervals  by  the  stars 
that  every  now  and  then  peeped  from  between  the  driving 
clouds. 

Carefully  leading  the  way,  Paul  crossed  the  broad  fosse, 
and  felt  with  his  hand  the  opposite  wall,  against  which  he 
expected  to  find  the  rope  that  was  to  have  been  arranged 
by  Leontine.  He  was  followed  noiselessly  by  the  crew  for 
about  twenty  yards,  when  he  suddenly  halted  as  he  caught 
the  dangling  rope. 

With  extreme  care  Paul  now  climbed,  hand  over  hand, 
to  the  top,  having  previously  whispered  to  Dick  Stone  to 
hold  the  end  of  the  rope,  and  to  ascend  when  he  should  give 
a  jerk  as  a  signal  of  safety. 

Arrived  at  the  top,  on  the  soft  green  turf  at  the  edge  of 
the  moat,  Paul  lay  flat  upon  the  ground,  and  listened.  He 
could  see  nothing,  therefore  he  knew  that  he  could  not  be 
seen ;  but  he  fancied  that  he  could  hear  a  suppressed  voice 
in  the  direction  of  the  sentry.  He  gave  a  slight  jerk  to 
the  rope,  and  presently  Dick  Stone  arrived,  and  crept  to 
Paul's  side,  quickly  followed  by  all  the  others.  They  all 
remained  flat  upon  the  grass,  which,  being  about  a  foot  in 
height,  effectually  concealed  them  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night.  Paul  now  crept  forward  upon  his  hands  and  knees, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  169 

followed  in  the  same  manner  by  Dick  Stone :  the  other 
men  had  received  orders  to  jump  up  and  join  them  imme 
diately  upon  hearing  the  signal, "  A  friend." 

In  a  few  minutes  Paul  was  within  a  dozen  yards  of  the 
sentry ;  and  as  he  and  Dick  then  lay  flat  upon  the  earth 
they  could  faintly  distinguish  two  figures  standing  close  to 
gether  ;  and  in  intervals  between  the  gusts  they  could  hear 
voices. 

We  will  return  to  Leontine. 

She  had  not  failed  in  any  of  her  arrangements.  The  un 
suspecting  Fran9ois  had  fallen  into  her  snare,  and,  delighted 
with  the  assignation,  he  had  run  great  risk  in  the  hope  of 
securing  the  love  of  the  charming  Leontine.  He  had  bor 
rowed  for  her  a  comrade's  uniform  and  arms  ;  and  thus  ac 
coutred  as  a  soldier  she  had  met  him  at  the  appointed 
hour.  They  were  now  standing  together  by  the  edge  of 
the  moat,  and  Leontine  had  listened  to  his  warm  declara 
tions  of  affection.  Fran9ois  was  enraptured;  for  more 
than  a  year  he  had  vainly  sought  to  win  her  love.  As  the 
belle  of  the  village,  Leontine  had  many  admirers  ;  a  certain 
lieutenant  was  reported  to  be  a  favored  suitor ;  thus  what 
chance  was  there  for  a  private  such  as  Franyois  ?  True  or 
false,  the  jealous  heart  of  Francois  had  believed  these  re 
ports,  and  he  had  yielded  to  despair.  Judge  of  his  trans 
port  when,  within  the  last  few  hours,  he  had  been  led  to 
hope ;  and  now,  when  he  had  nearly  given  her  up  as  lost,  he 
almost  held  her  in  his  arms.  Alas  !  for  military  discipline 
when  beauty  leads  the  attack  !  Frai^ois  thought  of  noth 
ing  but  his  love.  There  was  a  railing  by  the  edge  of  the 
moat,  against  which  Leontine  had  rested  her  musket ;  the 
unwary  sentry  did  the  same ;  and  the  two  weapons  leaned 
peacefully  side  by  side,  as  the  soldier,  intoxicated  by  his 
love,  suddenly  caught  her  round  the  waist  with  both  arms 
and  pressed  his  lips  to  her  cheek.  At  this  moment  the  dull 

H 


170  •  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

clang  of  the  prison  clock  struck  the  half  hour.  Struggling 
in  his  embrace,  Leontine  exclaimed, 

"Oh  if  I  could  call  ' a  friend!'" 

At  the  same  instant  with  both  her  hands  she  slipped  into 
his  mouth  a  wooden  instrument  called  a  gag,  that  was  used 
to  silence  uproarious  prisoners. 

The  signal,  "A  friend,"  had  been  given  in  a  loud  voice, 
as  though  in  reply  to  the  usual  challenge,  and  before  the 
unlucky  Franyois  could  relieve  himself  from  the  gag  he  was 
caught  from  behind  in  the  tremendous  grasp  of  Paul's  arms, 
while  Dick  Stone,  by  mistake,  rushed  upon  Leontine ;  a 
vigorous  smack  on  the  face  from  her  delicate  hand  immedi 
ately  undeceived  him. 

"  Take  that  musket,"  whispered  Leontine,  quickly,  "  and 
come  along." 

At  the  same  time  she  seized  the  remaining  musket,  while 
Paul  pinioned  the  arms  of  their  prisoner  with  his  handker 
chief,  and  threatened  him  with  instant  death  should  he  re 
sist. 

No  time  wras  lost.  Paul  threw  the  sentry  over  his  shoul 
der  as  though  he  had  been  a  lamb,  and  the  whole  party  hur 
ried  after  Leontine,  who  had  led  the  way  to  the  beach. 

This  affair  had  been  managed  so  dexterously  and  quietly 
that  no  sound  had  been  heard  except  the  reply,  "  A  friend," 
that  was  the  preconcerted  signal  of  attack ;  but  upon  arrival 
at  the  beach  the  rattling  of  the  shingle  as  the  large  party 
hurried  toward  the  boat  threatened  to  attract  a  dangerous 
attention. 

A  large  number  of  boats  were  drawn  up  upon  the  beach, 
but  Leontine,  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  led  Paul  and 
his  party  to  one  that  had  the  oars  already  arranged ;  and 
the  powerful  crew,  seizing  it  by  the  bow  and  the  stern, 
ran  it  along  the  steep  incline  and  launched  it  through  the 
waves. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  171 

Not  a  word  had  been  spoken,  but  there  was  a  sound  of 
many  feet  as  the  crew  jumped  into  the  boat  that  could  not 
be  mistaken.  Paul  laid  his  struggling  burden  upon  the 
beach,  and  Leontine,  before  she  leaped  into  the  boat,  whis 
pered  in  the  captive's  ear : 

"Franyois,  if  you  give  the  alarm  I'll  never  Jove  you 
again."  With  this  coquettish  adieu  she  followed  Paul  and 
Dick  Stone,  who  were  the  last  of  the  party. 

"  Steer  straight  for  the  Polly,  and  give  way,  my  lads ! 
for  there's  no  time  to  lose,"  said  Paul,  who  had  taken  his 
position  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  with  Dick  Stone,  both  of 
whom  were  armed  with  muskets,  while  two  men  with  sword 
bayonets  were  ready  to  follow  them. 

"  Make  a  rush  o.n  board,"  said  Paul,  "  and  knock  down 
every  body  without  asking  questions ;  then  seize  the  arms 
from  the  rack  and  chest." 

The  water  was  deep  in  the  rocky  bay,  thus  the  Polly 
was  moored  to  a  buoy  little  more  than  two  hundred  yards 
from  the  shore ;  a  light  was  visible  on  boar,d,  and  the  lan 
terns  of  the  corvette  were  also  burning  about  fifty  paces 
distant,  where  she  lay  moored  by  stem  and  stern. 

They  now  pulled  swiftly  but  silently  toward  the  lugger. 
Paul's  heart  bounded  with  hope,  while  Dick  Stone,  as  cool 
as  ice,  but  determined  upon  the  event,  waited  for  the  com 
mand.  They  ne*ared  the  vessel.  "  What  boat's  that  ?"  was 
the  sudden  challenge  from  the  lugger's  deck,  as  their  boat 
came  within  a  couple  of  oars'  length.  "  A  friend  !"  shout 
ed  Leontine  in  French,  and  almost  in  the  same  instant  a 
man  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  caught  hold  of  the  mizzen 
shrouds  of  the  lugger  with  his  boat-hook,  and  held  on. 

Paul  seized  a  rope,  and  in  one  bound  he  was  upon  the 
lugger's  deck,  while  Dick  Stone  followed  like  his  shadow. 
To  knock  down  the  first  man  with  a  double-handed  thrust 
with  the  barrel  of  his  musket  was  the  work  of  a  moment, 


172  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

at  the  same  instant  Dick  struck  and  felled  a  Frenchman 
who  had  rushed  to  the  arm-chest.  A  shot  was  now  fired 
by  one  of  the  French  crew,  and  several  men  made  a  dash  at 
the  arm-rack,  but  Paul  was  there  before  them,  and  with  the 
butt  end  of  his  musket  he  struck  down  the  leader  of  the 
party.  At  this  moment  a  loud  shrill  cry  of  alarm  was  heard 
from-the  shore. 

"  Ha,  le  sacre  Fran§ois  !"  exclaimed  Leontine,  who  had 
in  the  mean  time  attached  the  deserted  boat  to  the  lugger's 
stern.  "  Ha,  le  miserable  !"  she  cried ;  "  this  is  a  return  for 
my  love  !" 

Two  or  three  shots  were  now  fired  by  the  French  crew, 
but  without  other  results  than  to  alarm  the  ship  of  war; 
the  drum  beat  to  quarters,  lights  were  seen  at  her  ports  ;  a 
tremendous  flash  was  accompanied  by  the  report  of  a  can 
non  as  she  fired  an  alarm-gun;  this  was  quickly  answered 
by  a  shot  from  a  battery  above  the  town. 

The  bells  of  the  church  and  the  prison  rang  wildly  as 
shot  after  shot  was.  fired  from  the  battery,  and  the  alarm 
spread  like  wild-fire  throughout  the  port. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  the  fight  had  been  hot  upon  the 
Polly's  decks,  Captain  Dupuis,  who  had  been  asleep  when 
the  vessel  was  first  boarded,  now  rushed  up  from  the  cabin, 
and  meeting  Paul  he  fired  a  pistol  within  a  few  feet  of  his 
chest ;  fortunately,  at  that  moment  Paul  was  in  the  act  of 
raising  his  musket,  and  the  ball  lodged  within  the  tough 
walnut  stock ;  the  next  instant  the  weapon  fell  with  a  crash 
upon  Dupuis's  skull,  who  reeled  backward,  and  stumbling 
against  the  low  bulwarks  he  fell  overboard  and  sank. 

.  Dick  Stone,  with  his  musket  in  one  hand  that  he  had  not 
yet  discharged,  was  now  standing  at  the  helm.  The  En 
glish  crew  had  gained  the  arms  from  the  rack,  and  several 
shots  were  fired  as  they  drove  the  French  toward  the  bows 
of  the  lugger,  following  them  up  with  the  bayonet.  Many 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  173 

of  the  French  jumped  overboard,  calling  loudly  to  the  man- 
of-war  for  assistance,  and  those  who  were  down  below  were 
already  helpless,  as  the  companion-ladder  was  guarded  by 
two  armed  men.  The  surprise  was  complete ;  Leontine  had 
hauled  her  boat  alongside,  and  had  climbed  on  board ;  the 
cable  was  cut,  and  the  sails  were  let  loose ;  but  the  danger 
had  increased.  The  French  crew  who  had  jumped  over 
board  called  to  the  corvette  to  fire  and  sink  the  lugger. 
This  they  had  hitherto  been  afraid  to  do,  as  their  own 
countrymen  were  on  board.  A  blue  light  was  now  burned 
upon  the  decks  of  the  corvette,  and  distinctly  illumined  the 
scene  just  as  the  sails  of  the  Potty  filled,  as  her  head  turn 
ed  from  the  severed  cable,  and  she  met  the  full  force  of  the 
gale  from  the  shore.  In  an  instant  she  leaned  over,  and 
as  the  water  rippled  from  her  bows  and  the  boom  was 
slacked  off  she  started  like  a  wild  duck  frightened  from 
its  nest. 

"  Hurrah  !  hurrah !  hurrah  !"  rang  three  hearty  British 
cheers  as  the  clipper  lugger  glided  rapidly  through  the  dark 
water  and  passed  the  terrible  broadside  of  the  corvette 
within  fifty  or  sixty  yards.  But  hardly  had  the  Polly  clear 
ed  the  deadly  row  of  guns,  when,  a  flash !  and  the  shock 
seemed  to  sweep  her  deck  as  the  dense  smoke  rolled  across 
her  in  the  midst  of  the  roar  of  a  twenty-four  pounder  fired 
from  the  last  gun  of  the  tier. 

A  terrible  crash  almost  immediately  followed  the  shot, 
and  the  painter  or  rope  that  attaches  the  boat  to  the  stern 
of  the  lugger  suddenly  dangled  loosely  in  the  water,  as  the 
shot  had  dashed  the  boat  to  atoms ;  fortunately  the  Polly 
had  just  passed  the  fatal  line  of  fire.  Another  wild  "  hur 
rah  !"  replied  to  the  unsuccessful  gun,  as  the  lugger,  released 
from  the  boat's  weight,  seemed  to  fly  still  quicker  through 
the  water. 

"  Take  the  helm  for  a  moment,"  said  Dick  to  a  sailor  by 


174  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

his  side,  and  running  amidships  he  called  upon  Paul,  "  Give 
a  hand,  captain,  and  we'll  get  the  Long  Tom  round." 

In  an  instant  Paul  put  his  powerful  shoulder  to  the  long 
six-pounder  that  worked  on  a  pivot,  and  together  with  joint 
exertions  they  trained  the  gun  upon  the  stern  windows  of 
the  corvette.  Dick  Stone  had  just  beforehand  lighted  his 
pipe  when  standing  at  the  helm,  and  as  the  long  gun  bore 
upon  its  object  he  suddenly  pushed  Paul  upon  one  side,  and 
emptied  his  fiery  bowl  upon  the  touch-hole.  Bang  !  went 
the  gun,  as  the  six-pound  shot  crashed  through  the  cabin 
windows  of  the  corvette,  and  through  the  various  bulk 
heads,  raking  her  from  stem  to  stern. 

"  Hurrah  !"  again  shouted  the  crew,  who  like  true  British 
sailors  were  ready  for  any  fight  without  reckoning  the  odds 
when  the  cannon  once  began  to  speak,  while  Paul  and  sev 
eral  men  sponged  and  reloaded  the  long  gun,  as  the  corvette 
had  lowered  several  boats  to  give  chase. 

'Hurrah  for  the  saucy  Polly  T  shouted  Paul,  as  he  and 
Dick  now  trained  the  gun  upon  the  leading  boat;  but  at 
that  moment  they  turned  the  sharp  headland  of  the  rocky 
island,  and  both  the  corvette  and  her  boats  were  obscured 
from  their  view. 

It  was  blowing  hard,  but  the  water  in  the  bay  was  per 
fectly  smooth,  as  the  wind  was  directly  off  the  shore,  and 
the  Polly  flew  like  a  racehorse  toward  the  open  sea.  In  a 
few  minutes  she  passed  the  last  headland,  and  rushed  at 
foaming  speed  over  the  long  swell  of  the  Atlantic.  With 
the  gale  fairly  on  her  quarter,  there  was  nothing  that  could 
touch  the  Polly.  There  was  no  fear  of  a  chase,  although 
the  heavy  booming  of  the  alarm-guns  could  still  be  heard 
in  the  distance. 

Three  Frenchmen  had  been  killed  in  the  fight,  and  their 
bodies,  which  now  lay  on  deck,  were  thrown  overboard ; 
two  were  prisoners  down  below  ;  the  remainder  of  the  crew 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  175 

had  escaped  by  jumping  overboard,  with  the  exception  of 
the  treacherous  Captain  Dupuis,  who  had  sunk  when  knock 
ed  down  by  Paul. 

Dick  Stone  was  now  at  the  helm;  his  pipe  was  well 
alight;  and  could  his  features  have  been  distinguished  in 
the  dark  they  would  be  seen  to  wear  an  unusually  cheerful 
expression  as  he  said  to  Paul,  "  It  wouldn't  have  been  pur- 
lite  of  us  to  leave  the  Mounseers  without  a  salute,  and  with 
out  my  pipe  we  couldn't  have  fired  the  gun.  It's  a  won 
derful  thing  is  a  pipe  !  Ain't  it,  captain  ?" 

"  Nor'-nor'-east  is  the  course,  Dick,"  replied  Paul,  who 
was  at  that  moment  thinking  of  his  wife,  and  the  happiness 
it  would  be  to  meet  her  on  the  following  day ;  at  the  same 
time  he  was  anxious  lest  any  misfortune  should  have  oc 
curred  during  his  long  absence. 

"  Nor'-nor'-east  it  is,  captain,"  replied  Dick  with  a  sail 
or's  promptitude ;  "  but  I  can't  help  larfing  when  I  think  of 
Captain  Doopwee,  who  has  put  a  cargo  on  board  the  Potty 
all  for  nothing,  and  has  got  knocked  on  the  head  into  the 
bargain.  Well,  sarve  him  right,  sarve  him  right,"  continued 
Dick,  musingly ;  "  he  was  a  very  purlite  varmint,  too  pur- 
lite  to  be  honest,  by  a  long  chalk."  After  this  curt  bio 
graphical  memoir  of  the  late  Captain  Dupuis,  Dick  Stone 
applied  himself  to  his  pipe,  and  kept  the  Polly's  course 
NiNjL 

While  Paul  and  Dick  Stone  were  upon  deck  Leontine 
was  lying  upon  a  cot  within  the  cabin.  The  excitement  of 
the  day  had  nearly  worn  her  out,  and  despite  the  uneasy 
movement  of  the  vessel,  which  tried  her  more  severely  than 
any  danger,  she  fell  asleep  in  the  uniform  of  a  private  in 
the  French  chasseurs,  and  she  dreamed  happily  that  her 
brother  Victor  was  released. 


176  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A  T  daybreak  on  the  following  morning  the  gale,  that  had 
•£*-  moderated  during  the  last  hour,  suddenly  changed  its 
quarter,  and  chopping  round  it  blew  directly  from  the  north. 
The  lugger  had  run  at  such  speed  throughout  the  night 
that  the^high  cliffs  of  Cornwall  were  now  distinctly  visible ; 
and  Paul,  who  had  not  yet  slept,  felt  the  bitterness  of  dis 
appointment  as  the  head  wind  now  checked  their  way,  and 
the  Potty r,  instead  of  rushing  swiftly  toward  home,  was 
forced  to  tack.  Dick  Stone  had  steered  so  carefully  that 
he  had  exactly  made  the  right  point,  and  shortly  after  sun 
rise  Paul's  heart  beat  doubly  quick  as  he  descried  with  the 
telescope  a  speck  in  the  distance  which  he  knew  to  be  his 
white  cottage  on  the  cliff.  The  time  went  wearily  as  the 
lugger,  close-hauled  to  the  wind,  made  each  successive  tack, 
but  the  cottage  grew  larger  as  they  gradually  approached, 
and  Paul  fancied  that  perhaps  his  wife  might  by  this  time 
have  descried  the  well-known  Polly,  and  that  she  would  be 
waiting  to  receive  him  with  joy  upon  his  arrival. 

"I'll  tell  you  what,  captain,"  exclaimed  Dick  Stone, 
suddenly,  "  we  musn't  forget  the  cargo ;  if  we  can  run  it 
through  it  will  be  a  pretty  haul,  but  we  must  keep  a  sharp 
lookout  for  the  revenue  cruisers  now  we  are  getting  near 
the  coast.  Wouldn't  it  be  safer  to  stand  off  a  little  and 
wait  till  dark?" 

Paul's  heart  yearned  for  home,  and  instead  of  adopting 
this  cool  advice  he  determined  to  press  on  for  another  hour 
against  the  head  wind,  until  they  should  be  within  an  easy 
distance  of  the  coast,  when  they  would  be  able  to  run  in 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  177 

and  land  the  cargo  after  sunset.  Accordingly  they  stood 
on  the  same  tack :  and  as  the  lugger  worked  well  to  wind 
ward,  they  gradually  neared  the  shore. 

Paul's  eyes  were  riveted  upon  his  cottage  on  the  cliff, 
and  he  vainly  endeavored  with  the  telescope  to  descry  some 
figure  on  the  terrace'  that  might  resemble  the  form  of  Polly 
Grey.  He  could  not  distinguish  more  than  the  dwelling : 
even  the  terrace-wall  was  invisible  in  the,,  distance.  He  now 
swept  the  line  of  coast  carefully  with  his  glass,  and  present 
ly  he  fixed  upon  some  object  with  peculiar  attention. 

"  What  do  you  see,  captain  ?"  inquired  Dick,  who  had 
his  suspicions. 

"A  cutter  bearing  down  upon  us  in  full  sail,  with  a 
spanking  breeze  from  the  shore,"  replied  Paul,  thoughtfully, 
as  he  lowered  his  glass. 

"  Then  we  may  make  up  our  minds  for  another  night  at 
sea,"  said  Dick.  "  That's  a  revenue  cruiser,  I'll  be  bound ; 
and  if  the  wind  is  fair  for  her,  it'll  be  fair  for  us  when  we 
'bout  ship,  and  the  Polly  shows  them  her  legs." 

"  Take  the  glass,  Dick,  and  try  to  make  her  out,  while  I 
take  the  helm,"  said  Paul ;  saying  which,  he  handed  the 
glass  to  Dick  Stone. 

For  about  a  minute  Dick  peered  steadily  through  the 
glass ;  he  then  slowly  lowered  it,  and  returning  the  instru 
ment  to  Paul,  he  said : 

"  They  are  steering*  so  as  to  reach  us  on  our  next  tack, 
so  we'd  better  not  come  upon  it,  I'm  thinking.  There's  no 
doubt  about  her ;  she's  a  revenue  cutter,  so  the  less  the 
Polly  sees  of  her  the  better.  We'd  better  wear,  captain, 
and  we'll  run  out  of  sight  in  an  hour :  nothing  can  touch 
the  lugger  going  free." 

Paul  was  quite  of  this  opinion,  and  he  decided  immedi 
ately  to  alter  the  course,  and  run  S.W.  with  the  wind  on 
the  quarter.  He  thus  hoped  to  lose  sight  of  the  cutter,  and 

H2 


178  CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

should  the  wind  change  he  would  be  able  to  return,  and  run 
into  Sandy  Cove  during  the  night.  In  an  instant  the  order 
was  obeyed,  and  the  Polly r,  that  had  been  thrashing  the 
crest  of  the  waves  as  she  had  been  pressed  close  to  the 
wind,  now  bounded  forward  like  a  greyhound  slipped  from 
the  leash.  In  less  than  an  hour  the  coast  of  Cornwall  had 
disappeared,  neither  could  a  trace  be  discovered  of  the 
revenue  cutter;  nevertheless  Paul  thought  it  advisable  to 
continue  on  the  same  course,  as  the  cutter  might  be  still  in 
chase.  Accordingly  the  Polly  was  kept  running  toward 
the  S.W.  until  about  three  o'clock  P.M.  At  this  time  the 
.wind  slackened,  and  then  came  in  puffs  from  various  direc 
tions  ;  the  sails  constantly  flapped,  and  in  expectation  of  a 
change  Paul  determined  to  lie  to.  The  Polly  now  rode 
easily  with  her  sails  trimmed,  so  as  to  keep  her  head  to  the 
sea. 

She  .had  been  lying  for  about  half  an  hour  in  this  posi 
tion,  awaiting  a  change  of  wind  that  would  enable  her  to 
turn  to  the  north,  and  perhaps  reach  Sandy  Cove  during 
the  night,  when  a  vessel  was  observed  in  the  distance  with 
a  fair  breeze  from  the  south-west;  she  was  coming  along 
at  a  rapid  pace,  and  had  the  advantage  of  the  approaching 
south-west  wind,  that  had  not  yet  reached  the  Polly.  She 
was  quickly  made  out  to  be  a  schooner  of  about  a  hundred 
and  forty  tons,  and  she  neared  the  Polly  to  within  a  mile 
before  the  latter  vessel  felt  the  breeze. 

"  That's  a  nice-looking  schooner,"  said  Paul,  "  and  she 
has  the  union-jack  at  the  peak;  what  kind  of  a  craft  can 
she  be?-" 

"  Well,"  said  Dick, "  she's  a  pretty,  smart-looking  thing 
as  ever  I  saw;  painted  all  black;  raking  masts;  and  the 
biggest  main-sail  for  her  size  that  ever  I  set  eyes  on.  She 
ain't  a  revenue  cruiser,  anyhow ;  and  she  ain't  a  man-of-war  ; 
and  she  looks  too  trim  for  a  merchantman :  I'm  blowed  if  I 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  179 

know  what  she  is,"  said  Dick,  as  he  gave  the  helm  to  a 
sailor  and  lighted  his  pipe,  while  he  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on 
her. 

"  I  can't  see  a  man  on  board,"  said  Paul,  who  had  been 
watching  the  fast  approaching  ship  with  the  telescope ; 
"  but  get  the  decks  cleared,  and  have  some  cartridges  ready 
for  the  Long  Tom,  and  a  match  lighted ;  we  may  just  as 
well  be  prepared.  Call  the  men  on  deck,  and  let  all  be 
ready  for  action  in  case  of  necessity." 

Dick  left  the  helm  to  a  sailor,  and  in  ten  minutes'  time 
the  entire  crew  of  the  Potty  were  on  deck ;  the  long  gun 
was  already  loaded,  and  many  rounds  of  ammunition  were 
stowed  in  readiness  in  a  large  chest.  The  men  were  at 
their  places  around  the  gun,  while  the  remaining  portion  of 
the  crew  were  thoroughly  armed.  Paul  had  stuck  a  brace 
of  pistols  in  his  belt,  while  a  well-sharpened  cutlass  lay  near 
at  hand.  The  breeze  now  reached  the  Polly  in  its  full 
strength,  but  the  suspicious  schooner  was  within  half  a 
mile,  arid  was  sailing  at  a  rate  that  would  test  the  best 
powers  of  the  lugger. 

"  I  don't  like  the  look  of  her,"  said  Paul  "  We  have 
the  breeze  now,  and  we  may  as  well  let  the  Polly  take  care 
of  herself." 

In  an  instant  the  lugger  came  round  to  the  wind,  and  in 
a  few  moments  she  was  hurrying  along  at  full  speed  toward 
the  English  coast,  with  the  British  flag  at  the  mizzen. 
Hardly  had  the  Polly  altered  her  course  than  the  union- 
jack  on  board  the  schooner  was  run  down,  and  the  French 
tricolor  was  seen  flying  in  its  place.  This  change  was  ef 
fected  with  great  rapidity,  and  at  the  same  time  a  puff  of 
dense  smoke  from  her  bows  was  followed  by  the  roar  of  a 
shot,  that  flew  above  the  masts  of  the  Polly  and  plunged 
into  the  sea  some  hundred  yards  ahead. 

"  That's   purliteness  !"    said   Dick   Stone ;    "  that's   the 


180  CAST    UP  BY    THE  SEA. 

Monnseer's  way  of  saying  bong  joor !  I  suspected  this  all 
along,  but  the  Polly  knows  a  word  or  two  of  French  as 
well  as  she  does.  Suppose  we  send  the  Mounseer  a  mes 
sage  !" 

Paul  had  already  taken  his  stand  by  the  long  gun,  which 
he  now  trained  carefully  upon  the  pursuing  schooner. 
"  Now,  Dick,"  said  he,  "  give  the  Frenchman  a  steady  shot 
well  into  the  rigging,  and  try  to  break  a  wing." 

Dick  squinted  along  the  gun,  and  presently,  as  the  Polly 
steadied  herself  before  the  wind,  he  touched  the  priming 
with  the  match.  The  brass  gun  rang  with  a  loud  report. 
All  eyes  watched  eagerly  for  the  effect,  as  the  strong  breeze 
cleared  the  smoke  forward ;  in  about  two  seconds  the  top 
gallant  mast  of  the  schooner  was  seen  to  fall  in  two  pieces, 
which  dangled  loosely  in  the  rigging. 

"  Well  done,  Dick,"  said  Paul ;  "  load  away,  my  lads,  and 
let  me  try  my  hand  !" 

"  That's  my  answer  to  the  Frenchman,"  said  Dick,  who 
now  puffed  at  his  pipe.  "  Yer  see,  he  very  purlitely  said  in 
French,  '  Bong  joor !'  so  I  says,  '  Very  well,  I  thank  you ; 
komprenney,  Mounseer  ?' " 

Dick  Stone  had  hardly  finished  his  sentence  when  a  cloud 
of  smoke  shot  from  the  schooner's  bows  as  she  fired  a  gun, 
and  presently  the  ball  struck  the  water  within  a  few  yards 
of  the  lugger,  and  actually  dashed  the  spray  over  her  deck. 

"They  have  the  range  now,"  said  Paul,  as  he  quietly 
aimed  the  gun  with  extreme  caution,  and  quickly  applied 
the  match.  A  loud  hurrah  burst  from  the  crew  of  the  Polly 
as  the  schooner's  foretop-mast  suddenly  broke  off  in  about 
half  its  length,  and  was  carried  overboard  by  the  force  of 
the  gale  as  the  shot  struck  fairly  through  its  centre. 

"That's  'Bong  swore'  to  the  Mounseer!"  exclaimed 
Dick ;  "  we'll  now  leave  'em  to  mend  their  stick  as  well  as 
their  manners."  At  this  moment  another  puff  of  smoke 


VAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  181 

dashed  from  the  schooner's  bows.  The  gun  was  fired  al 
most  at  the  same  instant  that  the  f oretop-mast  came  down ; 
and  as  the,  French  had  obtained  the  exact  range  by  the  pre 
ceding  shots,  the  ball  came  screaming  through  the  air  with 
fatal  precision,  and  striking  the  mizzen-mast  of  the  Polly 
about  ten  feet  above  the  deck  it  cut  it  off  like  a  carrot,  and 
then  passed  through  both  the  lug  sails,  and  riocchetted 
along  the  sea.  The  spanker,  together  with  the  sail  and  a 
portion  of  the  mast,  fell  overboard,  and  at  once  checked  the 
Polly's  way. 

"  Cut  all  adrift,"  said  Paul,  who  at  the  same  moment  sev 
ered  several  ropes  with  his  cutlass;  "we  can't  let  them 
close.  Clear  away,  my  lads  !"  and  his  men  with  great  alac 
rity  hauled  upon  the  sail  and  cut  it  off  the  spanker,  allow 
ing  the  wreck  to  float  astern.  •  .•  . 

In  the  mean  time  the  schooner  had  likewise  cleared  her 
self,  and  she  evidently  gained  upon  the  lugger,  which  severe 
ly  felt  the  loss  of  her  mizzen-mast.  Once  more  Paul  fired 
the  long  gun,  and  the  shot  passed  through  the  schooner's 
foresail,  doing  no  serious  damage.  Again  the  smoke  issued 
from  the  schooner's  bows,  which  had  now  decreased  her 
distance  to  about  six  hundred  yards,  and  luckily  the  shot 
flew  too  high,  and  missed  its  aim  ;  but  after  a  running  fight 
of  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  during  which  the  Polly  hull 
ed  her  adversary  twice,  there  could  be  no  doubt  that,  unless 
some  lucky  shot  should  cripple  the  schooner's  speed,  she 
would  shortly  succeed  in  bringing  the  Polly  to  close  action, 
in  which  case  there  would  be  little  chance  for  the  lugger 
against  so  powerful  an  enemy  as  the  French  privateer  of 
six  carronades  and  one  long  six-pounder  bow-chaser.  Dur 
ing  this  time  the  brave  but  helpless  Leontine  lay  in  the  cab 
in  utterly  unable  to  stand;  the  misery  of  sea-sickness  had 
quenched  a  spirit  that  nothing  on  land  could  have  subdued. 

There  was  an  expression  of  stern  determination  on  Panl'u 


182  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

face  as  he  once  more  fired  the  gun,,  and  the  shot  crashed 
into  the  bows  of  the  schooner,  that  was  now  within  three 
hundred  yards  of  them.  Paul  threw  off  his  coat  and  waist 
coat,  and  turning  up  his  shirt-sleeves  close  to  the  shoulders 
he  exposed  a  pair  of  arms  with  the  muscles  of  Hercules; 
he  then  clutched  his  cutlass  in  his  right  hand,  and  whisper 
ed  to  Dick  Stone,  who  prepared  himself  in  the  same  man 
ner  for  the  struggle. 

Paul  turned  to  his  men,  and  said,  in  a  loud,  clear  voice : 
"  Now,  my  lads,  the  Polly  has  lost  a  leg,  and  it's  no  use  try 
ing  to  run.  Let  those  who  would  like  to  return  to  a  French 
prison  lay  down  their  arms  at  once ;  but  those  who  are  men 
follow  me,  and  rush  on  board  the  schooner  as  she  closes. 
Leave  one  man  at  the, helm,  and  fourteen  fine  fellows  like 
yourselves  will  clear" the  frenchman's  decks  in  five  minutes. 
Three  cheers  for  the  Pvlty  and  Old  England !" 

At  these  words  a  loud  hurrah  rose  simultaneously  from 
the  gallant  crew,  who  at  once  divested  themselves  of  their 
upper  clothing;  and  with  pistols  in  their  belts  and  sharpen 
ed  cutlasses  in  their  hands,  they  prepared  for  the  desperate 
attempt  of  boarding  the  French  schooner. 

"  Let's  have  another  shot  at  her  before  we  close,"  said 
Dick  Stone.  "  Luff  a  little,"  cried  Dick  to  the  man  at  the 
helm ;  "  not  too  much ;  that's  it ;  now  I've  got  her."  At 
that  moment  the  gun  fired,  and  the  shot  once  more  entered 
the  bows  of  the  schooner.  "  Too  low,"  said  Dick,  discon 
tentedly. 

"  Reload,  and  close  with  her,"  said  Paul.  "  Fire  the  gun 
as  we  touch  her  sides,  not  a  moment  before ;  and  spring 
upon  her  decks  with  me  under  cover  of  the  smoke." 

The  schooner  was  now  within  a  hundred  and  fifty  yards 
of  them,  when  the  Polly  luffed  suddenly  up,  but  as  her 
broadside  became  exposed  a  shot  from  the  enemy's  bow- 
chaser  struck  her  fairly  in  the  forecastle,  and,  passing 


PAUL    GREY     BOARDING    THE     FKENCH    SCHOONER 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  185 

through  the  vessel,  it  killed  both  the  unfortunate  French 
prisoners,  who  were  sitting  together  on  the  cabin  deck.  A 
few  moments  later,  as  the  schooner  came  up,  the  Polly 
luffed  sharp  up  and  ran  as  though  attempting  to  cross 
her  bows,  then,  suddenly  falling  off,  the  schooner  passed 
her  within  a  foot ;  and  the  grappling  irons  being  thrown 
into  the  fore-chains,  the  two  vessels  hung  together.  In  the 
same  instant  Dick  Stone  fired  the  long  gun  as  the  muzzle 
almost  touched  her  side ;  and  in  the  cloud  of  smoke  he  fol 
lowed  Paul,  who  sprang  at  the  given  signal  into  the  lower 
rigging. 

The  mancEuvre  of  the  Polly  had  been  so  sudden  and  un 
expected,  and  the  shock  of  the  gun  fired  against  .the  schoon 
er's  side  was  so  great,  that  her  crew  were  taken  almost  by 
surprise  as  Paul's  powerful  form  appeared  for  an  instant 
upon  the  bulwarks,  and  quickly  discharging  a  pistol,  which 
killed  the  first  man  opposed  to  him,  lie  leaped  upon  the 
deck,  sword  in  hand,  and  without  reckoning  the  fearful 
odds  he  slashed  right  and  left  in  all  directions.  Before  the 
French  crew  had  recovered  from  their  surprise  Paul  had 
cut  down  three  men  and  wounded  a  fourth.  Dick  Stone 
was  the  first  to  support  him ;  and  discharging  a  pistol  with 
extreme  coolness  at  the  only  man  that  he  saw  in  uniform, 
he  killed  the  captain  of  the  privateer  almost  as  soon  as  he 
set  foot  upon  her  deck ;  dashing  his  empty  pistol  into  the 
face  of  a  sailor,  which  sent  him  staggering  backward,  he 
then  rushed  into  the  fight  with  his  cutlass.  Three  of  the 
Polly's  men  jumped  upon  deck  almost  at  the  same  instant; 
and  had  the  entire  crew  been  able  to  board,  as  originally  in 
tended,  although  the  schooner's  crew  consisted  of  forty 
men,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  deny  that  the  Polly 
might  have  had  a  chance  of  success.  Unfortunately,  as  the 
crew  were  endeavoring  to  follow  their  impetuous  leader, 
one  of  the  French  sailors  fired  a  carronade  through  the  very 


186  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

port  before  which  they  swarmed  up  her  sides.  This  sud 
den  explosion  killed  two  men,  and  not  only  blew  several 
others  back  upon  the  Polly^s  deck,  but  burst  the  grappling 
chains,  and  likewise  carried  away  the  lugger's  main-mast 
close  by  the  board. 

The  Polly,  utterly  disabled,  now  drifted  away  before  the 
wind,  and  parted  from  the  schooner  with  only  five  able  men 
on  board;  five  men  were  fighting  like  bull-dogs  on  the 
schooner,  while  two  men  were  killed  by  the  shot,  and  three 
badly  wounded  by  the  explosion.  In  the  mean  time  a  sailor 
at  the  schooner's  mast-head  descried  a  large  vessel  bearing 
down  upon  them  in  full  sail,  and  he  immediately  gave  the 
alarm. 

In  the  heat  of  the  fight,  surrounded  by  tremendous  odds, 
Paul  had,  by  his  immense  strength  beaten  back  all  who  op 
posed  him.  He  had  fired  both  his  pistols  with  fatal  ef 
fect,  and  although  wounded  in  several  places,  he  fought 
with  undiminished  vigor,  well  seconded  by  Dick  Stone,  and 
the  only  survivor  of  the  three  gallant  fellows  who  had  fol 
lowed  them  on  board :  the  others  had  fallen.  Dashing  his 
way  through  the  opposing  crew  he  reached  the  quarter 
deck,  and  felling  with  a  blow  of  his  left  hand  a  man  who 
stood -upon  the  step  of  the  raised  deck,  he  quickly  seized 
the  stock  of  an  immense  ship's  blunderbuss  that  was  fixed 
by  a  pivot  on  the  quarter-deck  rail.  "  Stand  clear !"  he 
shouted,  as  Dick  fought  his  way  to  the  spot;  but  at  the 
same  moment  Paul  saw  the  last  of  his  men  shot  through 
the  head,  and  fall.  He  hesitated  no  longer;  and  turning 
the  heavy  blunderbuss  upon  its  pivot,  he  fired  it  into  the 
crowd  on  the  main-deck,  only  a  few  feet  distant.  About 
twenty  bullets  crashed  from  this  one  discharge  into  the 
middle  of  the  enemy,  and  they  fell  like  birds  from  a  flock, 
some  killed,  and  several  wounded.  Had  the  Polly's  entire 
crew  now  been  on  deck  one  gallant  charge  would  have  won 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  187 

the  day:  but  Paul  was  alone.  Dick  Stone  had  just  fallen 
to  a  shot  fired  from  the  main-top. 

The  cry  of  "  A  sail !"  was  heard,  and  as  Paul,  who  was 
growing  weak  from  loss  of  blood,  for  an  instant  looked  at 
the  sea,  he  saw  the  Polly r,  with  two  masts  gone,  drifting 
disabled  some  hundred  yards  away  before  the  wind.  His 
eyes  became  hazy ;  a  giddiness  seized  his  brain  as  the  blood 
flowed  rapidly  from  his  wounds ;  he  knew  no  more ;  he  fell 
upon  the  deck  by  the  side  of  the  stanch  Dick  Stone. 

The  loss  of  life  had  been  fearful  in  this  desperate  hand- 
to-hand  struggle ;  out  of  a  crew  of  forty  men  the  schooner 
had  lost  her  captain  and  twelve  men  killed  and  fourteen 
wounded,  leaving  only  fourteen  sound  men  on  deck.  The 
shots  from  the  Polly* s  long  gun  had  hulled  and  raked  the 
French  vessel  repeatedly,  and  upon  every  occasion  there  had 
been  a  loss  of  life;  the  discharge  of  the  blunderbuss  alone 
had  killed  three  men  and  wounded  six,  and  the  schooner's 
decks  were  strewed  with  dead,  and  slippery  with  blood. 
The  remaining  portion  of  the  crew  were  demoralized  at  the 
loss  of  their  captain,  and  upon  seeing  the  large  vessel  that 
had  been  reported  as  a  strange  sail  now  rapidly  approach 
ing,  they  determined  to  leave  the  Polly  to  herself,  and  to 
run  from  what  they  correctly  suspected  to  be  a  British  man- 
of-war.  The  schooner  at  once  altered  her  course,  and  with 
the  loss  of  her  fore-topmast,  she  attempted  her  escape,  leav 
ing  the  Polly r,  whose  crew  were  busily  engaged  in  repair 
ing  damages.' 

Hardly  had  the  French  vessel  sailed  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
when  a  cloud  of  smoke  for  an  instant  obscured  the  Polly ', 
as  a  shot  from  her  long  gun  passed  through  the  schoqner's 
rigging.  The  English  crew  had  seen  the  approaching  suc 
cor,  and  they  continued  to  fire  shot  after  shot  in  the  hope 
of  disabling  a  spar  or  yard  to  enable  the  cruiser  to  overtake 
the  enemy. 


188  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

In  less  than  three  quarters  of  an  hour  a  brig  of  war, 
with  the  English  colors  flying,  hailed  the  Potty,  and  heav 
ing  to  she  lowered  a  boat,  and  upon  hearing  an  account  of 
the  late  fight  she  took  the  lugger  in  tow.  The  French 
schooner  was  out  of  sight,  and  as  the  captain  of  the  brig 
was  under  orders  to  proceed  to  Falmouth  he  declined  to  be 
gin  a  chase  that  would  lead  him  m  an  opposite  direction, 
especially  as  the  schooner  might  have  altered  her  course, 
which  would  render  her  discovery  most  uncertain. 

Within  an  hour  of  the  action  the  brig  was  under  full 
sail  toward  Falmouth,  with  the  disabled  lugger  in  tow, 
while  the  wounded  men  had  been  transferred  to  the  King's 
ship,  and  placed  under  surgical  treatment. 

We  must  now  return  to  the  schooner,  which  steered 
direct  for  DunkerqUe.  As  she  lost  sight  of  the  English 
cruiser  the  crew  regained  their  spirits,  and  heaving  the 
dead  bodies  overboard  they  washed  the  soiled  decks  and 
carried  the  wounded  down  below.  As  one  by  one  the  dead 
were  examined  and  stripped  prior  to  being  committed  to 
the  waves,  the  sailors  who  were  thus  employed  came  upon 
the  bodies  of  Paul  and  Dick  Stone.  They  had  just  com 
menced  their  examination,  and  had  turned  Paul  upon  one 
side,  when  blood  was  observed  to  flow  from  one  of  his 
wounds,  and  upon  a  closer  inspection  it  was  discovered 
that  he  was  not  yet  dead.  As  buckets  of  water  were 
thrown  upon  the  deck  in  all  directions,  the  heave  of  the 
vessel  occasionally  rolled  the  water  in  a  considerable  depth 
into  the  scuppers,  where  the  bodies  of  Paul  and  Dick  Stone 
were  lying.  Having  left  Paul,  they  now  attempted  to  lift 
up  the  apparently  lifeless  body  of  Dick  for  the  purpose  of 
throwing  it  overboard ;  with  this  intention  two  men  laid 
hold  of  it  by  the  shoulders  and  the  heels,  and  dragged  it 
toward  the  open  gangway  on  the  main-deck.  Before  heav 
ing  it  over  they  laid  the  body  down,  and  one  man  exclaim- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  189 

ed,  "Mon  Dieu !  what  heavy  people  are  these  English  ! 
We  could  throw  two  Frenchmen  overboard  with  less  trou 
ble  than  one  rosbif  Englishman  !" 

As  he  said  these  words,  to  the  horror  of  the  Frenchmen 
the  body  of  Dick  Stone  suddenly  sat  up,  and  looking  around 
with  an  expression  of  extreme  coolness,  he  appeared  to  un 
derstand  the  unpleasantness  of  his  situation,  as  he  exclaim 
ed,  in  a  calm  but  faint  voice  : 

"  You  Mounseers  are  a  very  purlite  people,  but  I'll  not 
trouble  you  to  heave  me  overboard,  as  I  can  do  that  for 
myself  whenever  it's  agreeable." 

Having  said  this  he  instinctively  put  his  hand  into  his 
trowsers  pocket,  and  drew  forth  his  faithful  pipe,  which  he 
deliberately  filled :  he  then  searched  in  his  other  pocket, 
and  produced  his  flint  and  steel ;  striking  a  light  with  dif 
ficulty,  he  faintly  puffed  his  pipe,  and  then  asked, 

"  Where's  my  captain  ?" 

The  Frenchmen  pointed  to  Paul's  body.  Dick  stared 
mournfully  at  his  commander's  lifeless  figure. 

"  Where's  the  Polly — the  lugger  ?"  continued  Dick,  still 
more  faintly. 

The  Frenchmen  pointed  to  the  far  horizon :  "  Gone  !" 
they  exclaimed. 

Dick's  eyes  glazed  and  became  fixed ;  the  pipe  dropped 
from  his  mouth ;  he  fell  backward  on  the  deck,  and  his 
features  became  rigid ;  a  dense  puff  of  smoke  issued  from 
his  mouth;  the  gallant  spirit  of  Dick  Stone  had  parted 
forever ! 

"  What  droll  people  are  these  English !"  said  the  French 
man,  who  now  examined  the  body  with  much  curiosity ; 
"  at  last  he  is  dead !  Give  me  a  hand,  and  lift  his  feet 
while  I  take  his  shoulders  ;  now  !  one  !  ,two  !  three  !" 

A  dull  splash  was  heard  as  the  schooner  steadily  contin 
ued  upon  her  course. 


190  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

WHEN  we  last  parted  from  Ned  Grey  the  Sybille, one 
of  the  finest  frigates  of  the  British  navy,  was  plough 
ing  along  with  a  fair  wind  at  the  mouth  of  the  Channel  on 
her  voyage  to  the  Indian  station.  Although  strangers  on 
board,  it  was  not  long  before  an  incident  occurred  that  raised 
the  new-comers  in  the  estimation  of  both  officers  and  crew, 
with  whom  they  had  already  become  favorites.  It  would 
have  been  hard  to  say  which  was  the  greater  pet  with  the 
sailors — the  nigger  boy  Tim,  or  the  dog  Nero.  The  former 
had  become  cook's  mate,  and  was  domiciled  in  the  galley, 
while  the  latter  was  allowed  to  range  anywhere  except 
upon  the  quarter-deck,  which  sacred  spot  Nero  learned  to 
respect  after  he  had  been  only  a  few  days  on  board,  and 
nothing  would  induce  him  to  trespass  beyond  the  forbidden 
limit  unless  called  by  the  captain,  who  had  specially  adopt 
ed  him. 

Captain  Cookc  was  one  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of 
the  service.  Beloved  by  his  men,  they  were  ready  to  follow 
him  through  any  danger  ;  and  although  he  was  well  known 
to  be  heedless  of  a  superior  force,  his  attack  was  invariably 
attended  with  success ;  he  was  accordingly  considered  to 
be  a  lucky  captain,  and  when  others  found  a  difficulty  in 
manning  their  ships  the  Sybille  was  always  certain  of  a  su 
perior  crew. 

The  frigate  had  passed  the  boisterous  Bay  of  Biscay, 
and  had  made  a  rapid  run  to  the  Cape  Verde  Islands.  It 
was  about  an  hour  before  sunset  that  the  high  peak  of  St. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  191 

Antonio  was  first  observed  by  a  man  at  the  mast-head  bear 
ing  S.S.E.,  and  as  the  evening  closed  this  lofty  landmark 
faded  from  view,  and  mingled  with  the  gray  bank  of  clouds 
that  concealed  the  horizon. 

The  night  was  fine  and  starlight,  and  the  noble  vessel 
flew  through  the  water,  as  with  studding-sails  set  she  sail 
ed  like  a  huge  white  swan  over  the  phosphorescent  waves 
that  sparkled  with  ten  thousand  lights,  as  though  in  mock 
ery  of  the  bright  stars  above.  The  foam  rushed  from  her 
bows  in  sheets  of  mimic  fire,  while  a  brilliant  stream  of 
light  washed  her  dark  sides  and  glistened  in  her  wake  like 
a  river  of  molten  metal  as  the  Sybitte  woke  from  their 
sleep  the  billions  of  animalcule — those  glow-worms  of  the 
deep  that  light  the  sailor's  path  in  the  dark  and  fathomless 
sea.  Now  a  huge  polypus  gleamed  in  the  depths  as  though 
some  mermaid  wandered  with  a  lamp  below ;  then  smaller 
lights  twinkled  in  the  creaming  waves,  and  huge  and  fiery 
serpents  seemed  to  chase  each  other  in  wild  speed  as  the 
swift  porpoises  left  their  long  and  brilliant  trail  illumined 
in  the  dark  blue  sea. 

It  was  a  lovely  sight;  it  was  one  of  those  glorious  ocean 
scenes  that  are  unknown  by  those  whose  lives  are  passed 
on  shore.  Each  drop  of  water  teemed  with  life :  there  was 
the  so-called  barren  sea,  the  watery  desert  peopled  with  its 
countless  myriads ;  the  bright  universe  above ;  the  heavens 
with  their  hosts  of  brilliant  worlds  so  distant,  so  incompre 
hensible,  equalled  only  in  their  infinity  by  the  ocean  waves, 
each  of  which  contained  a  thousand  worlds — life  within  life 
—world  without  end.  "The  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon 
the  face  of  the  waters-." 

Ned  Grey  stood  upon  the  quarter-deck  and  gazed  below 
at  the  sparkling  current  as  the  ship  flew  rapidly  on  her 
way;  he  thought -of  home,  of  his  mother,  and  of  Edith; 
every  instant  the  distance  increased  between  them  as  the 


192  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

wind  hurried  the  noble  vessel  farther  and  farther  away. 
When,  if  ever,  should  he  see  their  loved  faces  again  ?  These 
thoughts  engrossed  his  attention,  and  although  he  still  look 
ed  fixedly  at  the  phosphorescent  water  beneath,  he  almost 
ceased  to  observe  the  brilliant  scene,  but  merely  gazed  ab 
stractedly,  until  a  dark  object  struggling  in  the  silvery 
stream  roused  him  from  his  reverie ;  almost  at  the  same  in 
stant  a  loud  cry  was  raised  in  the  fore  part  of  the  ship — 
"  A  man  overboard !"  Instinctively  and  without  a  mo 
ment's  hesitation  Ned  threw  off  his  jacket,  and  repeating 
the  alarming  cry  he  sprang  boldly  into  the  sea. 

Rising  quickly  to  the  surface  after  his  deep  plunge,  Ned 
struck  out  in  the  direction  of  the  object  that  had  first  at 
tracted  his  attention — this  had  vanished. 

"  Where  are  you  ?"  shouted  Ned.  A  voice  was  heard 
far  astern,  at  the  same  time  Ned  felt  himself  seized  from 
behind  by  the  shirt  near  the  collar ;  in  another  instant  he 
felt  a  mass  of  silky  hair  as  he  reached  back,  and  found  him 
self  grasped  by  the  strong  teeth  of  his  faithful  dog.  Nero 
was  by  his  master's  side,  apparently  sleeping  on  the  deck, 
when  Ned  had  sprung  over  the  ship's  gangway ;  but  upon 
seeing  him  disappear  the  dog  immediately  leaped  over 
board,  and  had  succeeded  in  catching  him.  quickly  after  his 
reappearance  on  the  surface. 

"  Good  old  boy  !"  cried  Ned,  as  he  endeavored  to  free 
himself  from  the  dog ;  "  loose  it,  old  fellow  !  Let  go,  old 
man  !"  he  continued,  as  Nero  resolutely  maintained  his  hold. 
After  some  difficulty  he  released  himself  from  the  dog,  who 
then  accompanied  him  toward  the  object  of  their  search, 
which  could  now  be  clearly  made  out  by  the  extreme  bright 
ness  of  one  particular  spot  in  the  water,  caused  by  the  strug 
gles  of  the  person  in  the  phosphorescence. 

"  Keep  up  till  I  come  !"  shouted  Ned,  to  encourage  the 
individual  in  question,  who  was  about  sixty  yards  distant, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  193 

and  without  a  thought  for  his  own  safety  he  struck  out 
with  increased  vigor,  with  Nero  swimming  by  his  side. 

"  Help  !  I'm  sinking !"  cried  a  despairing  voice  as  Ned 
arrived  within  twenty  strokes  of  the  struggling  sailor. 

"Don't  give  in !"  cried  Ned,  "I'll  save  you  !"  and  he  re 
doubled  his  exertions  to  reach  the  drowning  man ;  he  was 
within  a  few  feet  of  him  when  he  suddenly  threw  his  arms 
above  his  head,  and  he  disappeared  just  as  Ned  was  about 
to  seize  him  by  the  hair.  At  that  moment  Nero  dived,  and 
following  the  bright  light  caused  by  the  struggles  of  the 
sinking  man,  he  caught  him  by  the  shoulder  and  dragged 
him  once  more  to  the  surface.  Without  an  instant's  delay 
Ned  grasped  him  by  the  collar.  "  Hold  him,  good  dog  Pr 
cried  Ned,  who  found  it  difficult  to  support  the  weight ;  but 
to  his  astonishment  Nero  relaxed  his  grip,  and  quitting  the 
man  he  caught  Ned  by  the  shirt  at  the  shoulder-sleeve.  At 
this  moment  the  head  of  the  half-drowned  man  turned,  and 
the  bright  starlight  shone  upon  the  pale  features  of  Jem 
Stevens.  The  dog  had  recognized  him  quicker  than  Ned, 
and  nothing  would  induce  him  to  assist.  It  was  in  vain 
that  Ned  urged  him  on.  Occasionally  he  relaxed  his  hold 
of  his  master  and  swam  by  his  side  barking  loudly,  but  he 
avoided  Stevens  with  a  stubborn  determination.  Several 
minutes  elapsed  in  a  severe  struggle  for  life.  Jem  Stevens 
was  an  enemy,  but  this  fact  only  served  to  awaken  the  chiv 
alrous  nature  of  Ned  Grey,  who  clung  to  him  with  a  gallant 
tenacity  that  endangered  his  own  life.  Stevens  was  utterly 
helpless,  he  was  half  dead,  and  Ned  would  have  been  unable 
to  support  his  head  above  the  surface  had  not  the  dog 
added  to  his  buoyancy  by  holding  him  by  the  shoulder : 
even  with  his  assistance  he  was  nearly  exhausted.  Several 
times  he  had  swallowed  large  quantities  of  water,  as  for  a 
few  seconds  the  dog  had  relaxed  his  hold,  when  the  shirt 
gave  way,  and  Ned  sank  until  Nero  once  more  grasped  a 

I 


194  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

fresh  portion  of  his  clothes ;  he  was  almost  done,  and  he 
feared  that  for  self-preservation  he  would  be  forced  to  re 
linquish  his  prize  ;  he  felt  heavy  in  the  water,  and  his  limbs 
became  almost  leaden.  Whenever  the  dog  lost  his  hold  he 
barked  loudly,  as  though  calling  for  assistance  ;  but  the  Sy- 
bille  was  far  away ;  she  had  come  sharp  up  to  the  wind  at 
the  cry  of  "  a  man  overboard,"  and  had  laid  her  foretop- 
sail  aback ;  but  she  was  nearly  half  a  mile  away  from  the 
spot  before  eke  could  come  round  and  lower  a  boat. 

Once  more  Ned's  shirt  gave  way,  and  again  he  sank,  and 
for  an  instant  he  loosed  his  hold  of  Jem  Stevens ;  the  dog 
barked  loudly,  and  again  he  seized  and  supported  his  young 
master,  who  once  more  clutched  the  almost  lifeless  form  of 
Jem  Stevens,  although  himself  in  the  last  stage  of  distress. 
At  that  moment,  when  it  became  positively  necessary  to 
sacrifice  Stevens  to  save  his  own  life,  he  heard  a  voice  at  no 
great  distance. 

"  Hold  on,  Massa  Ned  !  Lord  hab  mussy  'pon  us  !  Hold 
on,  my  dear  Massa  Ned  !  Tim  got  de  life-buoy !  Tim  coin 
ing  quick  catch  Massa  Ned !" 

There  was  no  mistaking  the  voice  ;  it  was  hardly  a  hun 
dred  yards  distant,  and  the  hope  of  succor  instilled  fresh 
vigor  into  the  sinking  frame  of  the  exhausted  Ned.  Nero 
had  also  heard  the  well-known  voice  of  Nigger  Tim,  and  for 
an  instant  relaxing  his  hold,  he  barked  loudly  in  reply,  and 
then  again  supported  his  master. 

"  Come  quick,  Tim,  I'm  very  nearly  done  !"  cried  Ned. 

"  All  right,  Massa  Ned ;  tank  God  for  Tim  and  de  life 
buoy  !  I's  a  coming  !" 

In  another  minute,  when  Ned  could  no  longer  have  sup 
ported  his  burden,  the  dark  and  welcome  figure  of  Tim  was 
seen  within  a  few  yards.  He  was  swimming  in  the  centre 
of  the  life-buoy  with,  all  his  strength,  and,  gaining  Ned,  he 
slipped  from  his  position,  and  assisted  him  to  the  secure 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  195 

place  that  he  had  vacated;  at  the  same  time  with  their  joint 
endeavors  they  supported  Stevens  above  the  surface.  Tim 
held  on  stoutly,  while  the  dog  released  from  his  labor,  swam 
easily  by  the  side  of  the  party. 

In  the  mean  time  a  boat  was  hurrying  to  their  assistance 
from  the  frigate.  The  barking  of  the  dog  was  the  first 
guide,  but  upon  a  nearer  approach  the  extreme  luminous 
appearance  of  the  water  caused  by  the  friction  of  the  strug 
gling  swimmers  directed  the  rowers  to  the  spot.  Although 
comparatively  safe  when  clinging  to  the  life-buoy,  much  ex 
ertion  was  required  to  support  the  almost  inanimate  body 
of  Stevens,  and  it  waswiih  a  joyful  sense  of  relief  that  Ned 
Grey  hailed  the  arrival  of  the  boat. 

"  Back  water  !"  shouted  a  voice  as  the  boat  neared  them ; 
at  the  same  time  a  sailor  in  the  bow  reached  Ned  with  a 
boat-hook,  grasping  which,  the  floating  party  were  gently 
towed  to  the  side  and  taken  on  board. 

Stevens  showed  no  signs  of  life,  and  upon  arrival  at  the 
frigate  his  body  was  hoisted  on  deck  by  a  sling,  and  at 
once  consigned  to  the  care  of  the  doctor,  while  Ned  and 
Nigger  Tim  quickly  changed  their  clothes,  and  refreshed  by 
a  glass  of  grog  they  soon  forgot  their  recent  danger  and 
escape.  Nero  had  given  himself  a  good  shake,  after  which 
he  was  rubbed  dry  by  several  admiring  sailors  with  a  new 
swab. 

Ned  Grey  had  only  just  reappeared  on  deck  in  a  dry 
suit  of  clothes  when  he  was  summoned  to  the  captain's 
cabin ;  the  door  was  opened  by  the  steward,  and  Ned  found 
himself  in  the  presence  of  Captain  Cooke,  who  was  engaged 
in  the  examination  of  a  chart  of  the  Indian  seas.  As  Ned 
appeared  he  rolled  up  the  chart  quickly,  and  looking  stead 
fastly  for  some  moments  at  the  lad  without  speaking,  he  at 
length  asked  his  name. 

"  Edward  Grey,  sir,"  replied  Ned. 


196  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

"  You  joined  the  ship  against  your  inclination  ?"  said  the 
captain. 

"  I  was  sorry  to  leave  my  home  without  a  chance  to  say 
good-by,  sir ;  but  I'm  proud  to  serve  the  King  under  you, 
sir,"  replied  Ned. 

"  Well,  Ned,"  continued  the  captain,  "  the  King  may  be 
proud  of  such  a  lad  as  yourself.  You  have  done  a  gallant 
act  to-night,  and  I'm  glad  to  have  the  command  of  one  so 
young  who  has  shown  such  courage  and  devotion.  There 
are  many  men  who  shine  in  the  heat  of  action,  but  few  who 
will  risk  their  lives  as  you  have  done  to  save  another.  Tell 
me,"  continued  the  captain, "  is  i^rue  that  the  lad  you  have 
saved  is  an  old  school-fellow  and  a  personal  enemy  ?" 

"  He  was  a  school-fellow,  sir,"  replied  Ned,  "  and  I  am 
sorry  that  he  is  an  enemy.  I  trust  he  may  now  forget  the 
past,  for  I  never  gave  him  cause  for  dislike." 

"Where  do  you  live,  and  what  is  your  occupation  in 
England  ?"  asked  the  captain. 

Ned  in  a  few  words  explained,  and  gave  a  short  outline 
of  his  career,  including  the  history  of  the  nigger  Tim's  es 
cape. 

"  Well,"  replied  the  captain, "  I  congratulate  you.  There 
are  few  lads  of  your  age  who  have  already  saved  two  lives, 
arid  I  trust  that  you  will  yet  earn  other  laurels  on  board  the 
Sybille.  I  need  not  tell  you  to  do  your  duty,  but  I  trust 
the  opportunity  may  soon  arrive  when  you  will  prove  your 
self  as  brave  under  fire  as  you  have  been  under  trials  by 
water.  Go,  Ned,  do  your  duty,  and  I  wish  I  had  many  like 
you." 

Ned's  heart  beat  with  an  honest  pride  as  he  left  his  cap 
tain's  presence.  He  felt  at  that  moment  as  though  he  could 
dare  the  whole  world  to  win  his  approbation,  and  he  yearn 
ed  for  the  moment  when  in  the  smoke  of  battle  he  should 
be  able  to  gain  a  smile  from  his  gallant  commander.  At 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  197 

the  same  time  that  these  feelings  occupied  his  thoughts  he 
longed  to  stretch  out  his  hand  to  his  old  enemy,  Jem  Ste 
vens,  and  to  bury  all  enmity  in  the  deep  from  which  they 
had  emerged. 

He  had  no  sooner  gained  the  deck  th,an  he  requested  to 
be  allowed  to  visit  Stevens,  who  was  slowly  recovering 
under  the  doctor's  care.  He  found  him  lying  in  the  berth 
only  half  conscious,  and  apparently  with  a  desire  to  sleep. 

The  doctor  had  other  patients  to  visit,  and  as  all  imme 
diate  danger  was  past  he  gave  Ned  a  bottle  that  contained 
a  stimulant  combined,  with  a  gentle  narcotic,  of  which  he 
ordered  him  to  give  a  tablespoonf  ul  should  he  remain  awake 
for  more  than  half  an  hour.  Ned  sat  by  his  berth,  and 
watched  the  pale  features  of  Jem  Stevens  by  the  dim  light 
of  a  lamp. 

The  half  hour  passed,  and  as  he  was  still  awake  Ned 
wished  to  give  the  draught  that  had  been  prescribed.  He 
therefore  gently  took  the  hand  of  Stevens  that  rested  on 
the  bed-clothes,  and  pressing  it  affectionately,  he  whispered : 

"  Stevens,  take  this  from  me.  I  promised  the  doctor  to 
attend  to  you.  Are  you  feeling  better  ?" 

There  was  no  return  on  the  part  of  Stevens  to  this  friend 
ly  greeting ;  but  after  gazing  fixedly  at  Ned  for  a  few  min 
utes,  he  coldly  withdrew  his  hand,  and  turning  upon  his 
side  with  his  back  to  Ned,  he  muttered  sullenly  that  he  re 
quired  no  medicine,  but  would  go  to  sleep  if  left  alone. 

Ned  felt  a  pang  as  he  quietly  left  the  cabin  and  ascend 
ed  to  the  fresh  air  of  the  deck.  There  was  an  unmistakable 
feeling  in  the  withdrawal  of  the  hand,  and  he  knew  that  the 
stubborn  nature  of  Jem  Stevens  was  proof  against  all  gen 
erosity. 

From  that  day  Ned  Grey  held  a  high  position  in  the 
opinion  of  both  officers  and  crew  of  the  Sylille;  his  ready 
obedience  and  alacrity  in  the  performance  of  his  duty,  to- 


198  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

gether  with  his  more  than  ordinary  strength  and  activity, 
insured  him.  the  good-will  of  his  superiors,  while  his  general 
good-nature  and  cheerful  disposition,  added  to  his  well- 
proved  courage,  gained  for  him  the  admiration  of  the  men. 
He  had  become  an  especial  favorite  with  the  captain,  wiio 
had  been  much  struck  with  his  gentlemanly  appearance  and 
demeanor.  Upon  several  occasions  he  had  drawn  from 
Ned  certain  descriptions  of  his  former  life  that  increased 
the  interest  he  had  taken,  and  he  comforted  Ned  with  the 
assurance  that  upon  their  arrival  at  the  Indian  station  he 
would  be  able  to  write  home  to  his  parents,  and  thus  relieve 
their  anxiety.  At  the  same  time  he  advised  him  to  stick  to 
the  profession,  and  that  he  would  apply  for  his  promotion 
to  enable  him  to  enter  as  midshipman  on  the  next  voyage. 

There  was  only  one  individual  among  the  entire  crew  of 
the  Sybille  who  did  not  share  the  general  feeling  toward 
Ned  Grey.  This  was  Jem  Stevens,  who,  although  he  had 
in  some  degree  abated  the  insolence  of  his  former  demean 
or,  now  sullenly  passed  him  upon  every  occasion  without 
condescending  to  notice  his  presence. 

Generosity  of  character  is  one  of  a  sailor's  virtues,  and 
the  ingratitude  of  Jem  Stevens,  thus  publicly  exhibited,  in 
creased  the  dislike  with  which  he  was  generally  regarded. 
In  the  midshipmen's  berth  he  was  positively  hated ;  by  the 
superior  officers  he  was  despised;  and  the  sailors  had  on 
more  than  one  occasion  declared  that  the  dog  Nero  had 
shown  more  discretion  than  Ned  in  refusing  to  assist  so 
worthless  a  fellow. 

This  was  the  state  of  feeling  among  the  officers  and  crew 
of  the  Sybille  when,  after  a  prosperous  voyage,  during  which 
she  had  captured  several  prizes,  she  arrived  off  the  coast  of 
Ceylon,  which  was  the  first  land  she  had  sighted  since  leav 
ing  the  Cape  Verde  Islands. 

The  frigate  had  coasted  the  southern  portion  of  Ceylon 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  199 

at  a  distance  that  obscured  all  but  the  beautiful  deep  blue 
mountains  of  the  interior,  which  rose  to  an  altitude  that 
concealed  their  summits  in  the  clouds.  Upon  rounding  the 
eastern  point  the  Sybille  steered  directly  north,  and  as  the 
south-west  monsoon  was  blowing  strong  she  coasted  within 
ten  miles  of  the  shore  to  make  the  harbor  of  Trincomalee. 
Nothing  could  be  more  beautiful  than  the  appearance  of 
this  Paradise  of  the  East.  At  times  the  lofty  mountains, 
although  upward  of  sixty  miles  distant,  appeared  to  be  with 
in  a  day's  march  of  the  vessel.  The  sea  was  the  deepest 
blue,  and  as  the  frigate  stood  close  in  shore  when  passing  a 
projecting  headland  the  white  surf  was  seen  to  break  upon 
the  coral  reefs  almost  at  the  feet  of  the  waving  cocoa-nut 
palms  which  formed  dense  groves  even  to  the  water's  edge. 
At  times  the  native  villages  could  be  perceived  nestled 
among  the  shady  palms.  At  length  the  latitude  of  the 
wished-for  harbor  was  reached,  and  the  Sybille  steered  di 
rect  for  the  shore  toward  the  heights  that  rose  near  the  en 
trance  to  Trincomalee.  As  the  frigate  approached  the 
scene  increased  in  beauty;  the  palms  appeared  to  spring 
from  the  surface  of  the  waves,  and  the  hills,  clothed  with 
verdure  to  their  summits,  were  reflected  in  the  calm  waters 
of  the  magnificent  harbor  which,  completely  land-locked, 
lay  like  an  inland  lake  surrounded  by  the  most  lovely  vege 
tation  of  the  tropics. 

With  her  sails  close  hauled,  the  Sybille  steered  through 
the  narrow  entrance,  and  shot  after  shot  rang  from  her 
decks  and  re-echoed  from  the  surrounding  hills  as  she  sa 
luted  the  fort  upon  the  Point ;  she  then  came  sharp  up  to  the 
wind,  and  cast  anchor  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  shore, 
while  the  men  swarmed  up  the  rigging  at  the  sound  of  the 
boatswain's  whistle,  and  in  a  few  minutes  every  sail  was 
furled,  and  the  Sybille  looked  as  snug  as  though  she  had 
been  lying  for  <i  month  in  port. 


200  CAST   UP  BY   THE  8EA. 

At  that  time  the  beautiful  island  of  Ceylon  had  not  been 
long  in  our  possession  since  England  had  wrested  it  from 
the  Dutch.  The  latter  people  had  contented  themselves 
with  the  seaboard  and  adjoining  lowlands,  as  they  consider 
ed  that  the  great  importance  of  Ceylon  consisted  in  the  pe 
culiar  harbor  of  Trincomalee,  which  not  only  would  contain 
a  powerful  floet  to  command  the  Indian  seas,  but  was  suffi 
ciently  large  to  float  half  the  navies  of  the  world ;  in  addi 
tion  to  its  vast  capacity,  the  water  was  of  sufficient  depth 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  land  to  enable  a  first-class  ship  of 
the  line  to  lie  with  her  bowsprit  overhanging  the  shore. 
Trincomalee  may  be  called  the  key  of  India ;  in  the  hands 
of  a  powerful  enemy  a  fleet  would  lie  in  perfect  security 
that  could  defy  attack,  as  the  vicinity  of  the  harbor  is  spe 
cially  arranged  by  nature  for  defense.  At  the  time  of  which 
we  write  there  was  no  other  protection  than  the  Dutch  fort 
at  the  Point,  which  exists  at  the  present  day,  and  it  is  a  cu 
rious  instance  of  neglect  that  this  magnificent  harbor  re 
mains  otherwise  unprotected. 

With  a  fleet  of  fast  cruisers  concentrated  at  Trincomalee 
by  an  enemy  the  trade  of  India  would  be  almost  annihilated, 
as  such  vessels  would  scour  the  seas  like  falcons,  and  when 
chased  by  a  superior  force  they  would  run  for  the  impreg 
nable  nest.  On  the  same  principle  the  possession  of  Trin 
comalee  affords  incalculable  advantages  as  a  great  depot  and 
arsenal  for  naval  and 'military  stores.  There  is  no  other  safe 
harbor  in  the  island,  neither  is  there  any  secure  port  nearer 
than  Bombay ;  thus,  in  the  event  of  a  naval  action  in  the  In 
dian  seas,  there  are  no  ports  to  which  the  crippled  ships 
could  retreat  for  repairs,  except  those  of  Port  Louis  in  the 
Mauritius,  Trincomalee,  and  Bombay ;  it  was  accordingly 
of  vital  importance  to  our  Indian  possessions  that  these 
three  harbors  should  belong  to  England. 

Unfortunately  for  our  Indian  commerce,  at  that  time 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SJEA.  201 

Mauritius  belonged  to  the  French,  with  whom  we  were  at 
war,  and  the  extreme  importance  of  our  position  was  pain 
fully  exhibited  to  the  English  by  the  havoc  committed  on 
our  trade.  In  the  strongly-fortified  harbor  of  Port  Louis  a 
French  fleet  of  powerful  frigates  was  established,  with  which 
our  vessels  of  inferior  force  upon  the  station  were  unable 
to  cope.  In  consequence  of  our  inferiority  several  actions 
had  been  fought  in  the  Indian  seas  which  added  more  to 
French  renown  than  to  the  glory  of  England ;  nevertheless 
our  Admiralty  authorities  continued  to  send  to  the  Indian 
station  a  number  of*second-class  frigates  and  corvettes  that 
were  totally  unadapted  for  a  collision  with  the  large  ships 
and  heavy  metal  of  the  enemy. 

Although  this  inferiority  was  admitted,  it  did  not  inter 
fere  with  the  ardor  of  our  captains,  who  with  a  reckless  in 
trepidity  hovered  around  the  coasts  of  Mauritius,  and  chal 
lenged  every  combat  without  considering  the  overpowering 
odds.  Thus  many  severe  losses  had  befallen  us. 

Among  those  French  vessels  that  had  gained  a  high  rep 
utation  was  a  powerful  frigate,  the  Forte.  This  vessel  had 
been  newly  built  in  France  expressly  to  harass  our  com 
merce  in  the  Indian  seas ;  and  as  our  naval  supremacy  was 
generally  admitted,  the  French  had  constructed  this  ship 
upon  a  scale  and  armament  so  superior  to  any  thing  that 
the  English  possessed  that  without  some  gross  mismanage 
ment  success  would  appear  almost  certain. 

As  the  English  losses  had  become  of  serious  importance 
it  was  resolved  that  the  fleet  upon  the  Indian  station  should 
be  re-enforced.  Thus,  among  other  vessels,  the  Sybille  had 
been  dispatched  from  England,  and  it  was  the  determina 
tion  of  her  captain  to  seek  out  and  fight  the  renowned 
Forte  upon  the  earliest  opportunity. 


202  CAST   UP  £Y   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  WEEK  after  the  Sybille  had  arrived  in  the  harbor  of 
Trincomalee  she  looked  as  though  she  had  only  just 
been  rigged  and  fitted  for  sea ;  her  lower  rigging  had  been 
tightened  and  retarred,  her  top-masts  fresh  varnished,  and 
the  vessel  had  been  newly  painted  from  stem  to  stern. 
There  was  not  a  ship  in  the  British  navy  that  looked  more 
like  a  perfect  specimen  of  a  man-of-war ;  her  guns  were  not 
only  in  beautiful  neatness  and  finish  of  polish,  but  her  crew 
were  constantly  trained  in  their  use,  as  Captain  Cooke  was 
of  opinion  that  a  shot  thrown  away  was  worse  than  wasted : 
thus  he  instructed  his  men  never  to  fire  at  a  useless  range, 
but  to  wait  patiently  for  close  quarters :  "  Close  quarters 
and  good  seamanship  will  win  the  battle  "  was  a  well-known 
saying  of  the  Sybillds  captain,  in  which  his  men  had  learn 
ed  to  thoroughly  believe. 

During  the  frigate's  stay  at  Trincomalee  she  on  several 
occasions  put  to  sea  to  exercise  her  guns,  until  at  length 
the  day  arrived  when  .she  was  to  sail  in  search  of  the  re 
nowned  depredator,  the  Forte. 

At  that  time  the  French  Indian  squadron,  under  Admiral 
Sercey,  was  cruising  with  great  success  in  the  neighborhood 
of  Manilla  and  throughout  the  China  seas,  in  which  direc 
tion  our  losses  of  homeward  bound  Indiamen  had  been  most 
severe ;  it  was  reported  that  the  Forte  was  also  in  those 
seas,  and  the  Sybille  left  the  quiet  harbor  of  Trincomalee 
with  her  officers  and  crew  in  high  spirits  at  the  expected 
rencontre. 

After  a  rapid  voyage  to  Manilla,  to  the  great  disappoint- 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  203 

ment  of  Captain  Cooke  he  heard  that  the  Forte  had  left, 
and  that  she  was  cruising  in  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  Without 
losing  a  day  the  Sybille  ran  for  Madras,  where  she  expected 
to  gain  some  intelligence  of  the  proceedings  of  her  enemy. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  Madras  roadstead  Captain  Cooke 
heard  to  his  intense  satisfaction  that  the  Forte  was  cruising 
along  the  coast,  and  that  she  had  already  intercepted  sev 
eral  vessels.  Having  gained  this  welcome  intelligence  he 
sailed  without  delay  for  the  mouth  of  the  Bengal  River. 

When  near  the  Sandheads  the  Sybille  met<*a  vessel  con 
taining  French  prisoners,  some  of  whom  had  been  on  board 
the  Forte  •  these  upon  seeing  the  armament  of  the  Sybille 
ridiculed  the  idea  of  an  encounter  with  their  heavy  frigate. 
Upon  the  same  vessel  was  an  English  captain  of  a  merchant 
vessel  that  had  been  captured  by  the  Forte:  he  also  ex 
pressed  an  opinion  that  the  risk  of  an  engagement  would 
be  most  dangerous  to  the  Sybille,  at  the  same  time  he  gal 
lantly  volunteered  his  services.  The  Forte  was  reported  to 
be  near  at  hand  off  the  Sandheads. 

It  was  on  a  dark  night  that  the  Sybille  was  standing  under 
easy  sail,  with  the  wind  light  but  steady  from  the  sou'-sou'- 
west,  when  flashes  were  remarked  in  the  far  distance  which 
resembled  sheet  lightning.  At  first  this  appearance  attract 
ed  no  more  than  ordinary  attention,  but  upon  their  quick 
and  repeated  occurrence  Captain  Cooke  concluded  that 
they  originated  from  the  explosion  of  cannon ;  it  was  there 
fore  natural  to  suppose  that,  as  the  Forte  was  within  a 
short  distance,  the  flashes  must  proceed  from  her  in  some 
engagement  with  an  English  vessel. 

Having  carefully  extinguished  all  lights  on  board,  the 
Sybille  tacked  to  the  west  at  9  P.M.,  and  at  9.30  P.M.  she 
distinguished  three  vessels  in  a  cluster  in  the  south-east; 
these  were  the  Forte  and  her  two  valuable  prizes,  the  In- 
diamen  Endeavor  and  the  T^ord  Mornington  from  China. 


204  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

In  her  action  with  these  ships  the  flashes  from  the  Forte's 
guns  had  attracted  the  attention  of  the  British  frigate. 

The  Sybille's  drum  beat  to  quarters,  and  as  the  crew 
stood  at  their  guns  a  finer  lot  of  seamen  could  never  have 
been  selected.  Not  a  light  was  to  be  seen  on  the  English 
ship ;  but  standing  on  the  quarter-deck,  in  a  silence  in  which 
a  pin  might  have  been  heard  to  fall,  the  gallant  Captain 
Cooke  addressed  a  few  spirit-stirring  words  to  his  brave 
followers : 

"My  lads^"  he  said,  "you've  long  been  looking  for  the 
Forte;  there  she  lies  before  yon:  go  in  and  take  her! 
Double  shot  your  guns,  and  don't  fire  until  you  rub  against 
her  sides." 

"  Rightly  conjecturing  that  one  of  these  ships  would 
prove  to  be  the  object  of  his  search,  Captain  Cooke  contin 
ued  to  stand  to  the  westward  in  order  to  get  the  weather- 
gage;  and  soon  afterward  the  Sybille  passed  about  two 
miles  to  leeward  of  them.  At  10  P.M.  having  brought  the 
three  ships  sufficiently  on  her  quarter  to  enable  her  to 
weather  them  by  going  on  the  other  tack,  the  Sybille  put 
about,  and  taking  in  her  top-gallant  sails  and  courses,  kept 
the  centre  ship,  which  from  her  superior  size  and  the  lights 
in  her  stern  marked  her  out  as  the  Forte,  on  her  lee  or  lar 
board  bow. 

"  The  water  was  at  this  time  quite  smooth,  with  a  light 
and  steady  breeze  still  blowing  from  the  sou'-sou'-west,  and 
the  Sybille  under  her  topsails,  jib,  and  spanker,  was  going 
about  two  knots  an  hour.  At  11.30  P.M.  the  Sybille  saw 
that  the  three  ships  were  lying  to  on  the  starboard  tack,  or 
that  on  which  she  was  standing. 

"  At  midnight,  when  the  SyMlle  had  approached  within 
a  mile  of  the  Forte,  the  latter's  two  rows  of  ports,  lighted 
up  as  they  were,  gave  the  ship  a  very  formidable  appear 
ance.  The  Forte  then  filled,  hove  in  stays  under  the  Sy- 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  205 

Mile's  lee  bow,  and  as  her  larboard  guns  began  to  bear, 
fired  six  or  seven  of  them,  the  instant  and  principal  effect 
of  which  was  to  bring  down  her  opponent's  jib.  The  Forte 
as  she  passed  on  fired  also  her  after  guns,  and  one  of  the 
prizes  opened  her  fire ;  but  still  the  Sybille,  as  a  proof  of  the 
judgment  of  her  commander  and  the  steadiness  of  her  crew, 
reserved  her  fire  for  a  shorter  and  more  effective  distance. 

"  The  patience  of  the  latter,  however,  was  put  to  no 
longer  a  trial  than  until  the  Forte  passed  abaft  the  beam  of 
their  ship:  when,  at  three-quarters  past  midnight,  the  Sy- 
bille  put  her  helm  up,  and  fired  the  whole  of  her  broadside 
into  the  Forte's  stern,  at  less  than  pistol-shot  distance ;  so 
close  indeed  that  the  French  ship's  spanker-boom  was 
scarcely  cleared.  Luffing  quickly  up,  the  Sybille  was  pres 
ently  close  alongside  her  antagonist  to  leeward,  and  poured 
in  a  second  broadside,  as  well  directed  as  the  previous  rak 
ing  one.  The  bearing-up  of  the  Sybille  had  been  so  sudden 
and  unexpected  that  several  of  the  Forte's  larboard  or 
weather  guns  went  off  after  the  former  had  passed  to  lee 
ward. 

"  Thus  this  furious  night-action  commenced.  For  near 
ly  the  first  hour,  during  which  the  two  ships  lay  broadside 
to  broadside,  at  a  distance  that  never  exceeded  point-blank 
musket  range,  and  was  sometimes  much  nearer,  the  Forte 
returned  a  spirited  but  far  too  elevated,  and  consequently 
an  almost  harmless,  fire.  At  1.30  A.M.  on  March  1  Captain 
Cooke  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  grape-shot,  and  the  com 
mand  devolved  upon  Lieutenant  Lucius  Hardyman.  About 
ten  minutes  after  Captain  Cooke  had  been  carried  below, 
Captain  Davies,  of  the  army,  an  aid-de-camp  of  Lord  Morn- 
ington's,  and  a  volunteer  upon  this  occasion,  while  encourag 
ing  the  men  at  the  quarter-deck  guns,  of  some  of  which  he 
had  charge,  was  killed  by  a  cannon-shot  that  nearly  severed 
his  body." 


206  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Ned  Grey  was  splashed  with  his  blood,  as,  stripped  to 
the  waist,  he  fought  his  gun  with  the  brave  fellows  around 
him,  with  that  cool  intrepidity  that  has  won  all  of  England's 
battles.  He  had  seen  his  beloved  captain  struck  down  by 
a  shot,  and  for  the  moment  he  would  have  rushed  to  his  as 
sistance  ;  but  a  stern  sense  of  duty  overcame  this  first  im 
pulse,  and  as  others  supported  his  captain's  sinking  frame 
Ned  cast  a  sorrowful  look  behind  him,  and  then  lent  double 
strength  to  his  work  as  they  ran  the  gun  out,  and  the  shot 
crashed  into  the  sides  of  the  French  frigate.  For  upward 
of  two  hours  there  had  been  an  uninterrupted  roar  of  ar 
tillery,  but  at  this  time  the  fire  from  the  Forte  began  to 
slacken,  and  at  2.30  A.M.  it  entirely  ceased. 

"  On  this  the  Sybille  discontinued  her  fire,  and  hailed  to 
know  if  her  antagonist  had  struck.  Receiving  no  reply, 
although  the  ships  were  still  so  close  that  the  voices  of  the 
Forte's  people  were  distinctly  heard,  the  Sybille  recom 
menced  firing  with  renewed  vigor.  Finding  no  return,  the 
British  frigate  a  second  time  ceased,  and  a  second  time 
hailed,  but  again  without  effect.  At  this  moment,  perceiv 
ing  the  Forte's  rigging  filled  with  men,  and  her  top-gallant 
sail  loose,  as  if  with  the  intention  of  endeavoring  to  escape, 
the  Sybille  recommenced  her  fire  for  the  third  time,  and  set 
her  own  foresail  and  top-gallant  sails. 

"  In  five  minutes  after  this  the  Forte's  mizzen-mast  came 
down,  and  in  another  minute  or  two  her  fore  and  main 
masts  and  bowsprit.  The  Sybille  ceased  firing,  her  crew 
gave  three  cheers;  and  thus  at  2.28  A.M.,  being  about 
two  hours  and  a  half  from  its  commencement,  the  action 
ended. 

"  The  Sybille  immediately  dropped  her  anchor  in  seven 
teen  fathoms,  and  all  hands  began  repairing  the  rigging  and 
bending  new  sails.  At  about  3  A.M.  one  of  the  English 
prisoners  on  board  the  Forte,  finding  that  the  ship  was 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  207 

drifting  upon  the  Sybille,  hailed  the  latter  to  request  that  a 
boat  might  be  sent  on  board,  as  all  theirs  had  been  shot  to 
pieces.  Although  no  doubt  existed  on  board  the  SyMlle  as 
to  the  name  of  the  ship  of  which  she  had  made  such  a 
wreck,  the  question  was  put,  and  '  the  French  frigate  Forte ' 
was  the  answer  returned.  While  possession  is  taking  of 
the  prize,  we  will  give  some  account  of  the  damage  and  loss 
of  the  ship  that  had  so  gallantly  captured  her. 

"  The  Sybille  had  most  of  her  standing  and  all  her  run 
ning  rigging  and  sails  shot  to  pieces,  all  her  masts  and 
yards,  particularly  the  main  and  mizzen  masts,  and  the 
yards  on  them  badly  wounded,  but  with  all  this  the  Sybille 
had  only  received  in  the  hull  and  upper  works  six  shot; 
one  of  which,  however,  had  dismounted  a  gun,  and  another, 
a  twenty-four  pounder,  having  entered  one  of  the  officer's 
cabins,  had  shivered  to  atoms  a  large  trunk  and  a  smaller 
one  near  it,  carried  away  two  legs  of  a  sofa,  and  passed  out 
through  the  ship's  side.  The  Sybille  had  lost  Captain 
Davies,  one  seaman,  one  marine,  and  two  soldiers  killed, 
and  Captain  Cooke  (mortally),  fifteen  seamen,  and  one  sol 
dier  wounded  ;  total,  five  killed  and  seventeen  wounded. 

"  When  Lieutenant  Nicholas  Manger,  third  of  the  Sy- 
bille,  with  his  boat's  crew,  went  on  board  the  Forte,  the 
scene  of  wreck  and  carnage  that  presented  itself  to  their 
view  was  such,  by  all  account,  as  no  other  persons  than  the 
actual  spectators  could  form  an  adequate  idea  of.  The 
bowsprit  had  gone  close  to  the  figure-head,  the  fore-mast 
one  foot  above  the  forecastle,  the  main-mast  eighteen  feet 
above  the  quarter-deck,  and  the  mizzen-mast  ten  feet  above 
the  poop.  As  the  masts  had  fallen  with  all  the  sails  set, 
it  was  remarked  that  the  three  topsails  were  very  slightly 
injured;  the  SybilUs  shot  had  taken  a  lower  and  more 
fatal  direction.  All  the  boats,  booms,  the  wheel,  capstan, 
binnacle,  and  other  articles  on  deck  were  cut  to  pieces. 


208  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

"  The  Forte's  upper  works  were  lined  with  cork  to  pre 
vent  splinters ;  and  for  the  same  purpose  nettings  were 
fixed  fore  and  aft  as  well  on  the  main-deck  as  on  the  quar 
ter-deck,  forecastle,  and  gangways.  Another  stout  netting 
was  spread  like  an  awning  over  the  quarter-deck.  This  is 
common  on  board  French  ships ;  and  being  put  up  to  pre 
vent  blocks  and  other  heavy  articles  from  falling  from  aloft, 
is  appropriately  named  Ma  sauve-tete.'  The  starboard 
quarter-deck  and  forecastle  barricades  were  completely  de 
stroyed  ;  and  the  same  side  of  the  Forte  from  the  bends 
upward  was  nearly  beat  in.  Upward  of  three  hundred 
round  shot  were  counted  in  her  hull ;  several  of  her  guns 
were  dismounted;  and  the  very  cables  in  her  tiers  were 
rendered  unserviceable. 

"  The  loss  on  board  the  Forte  may  well  have  been  se 
vere.  Her  original  crew,  including  a  portion  of  Malays 
taken  on  board  at  Batavia,  amounted  to  513  men  and  boys. 
Of  this  number  she  had  sent  away  in  various  prizes,  accord 
ing  to  the  account  given  by  her  officers,  143;  leaving  370 
as  the  number  present  in  the  action.  Of  these  she  lost,  as 
appears,  65  killed,  including  her  captain,  first  lieutenant, 
and  some  other  officers,  and  80  wounded,  including  also 
several  of  her  officers."* 

At  the  close  of  the  action  the  two  prizes,  new  manned 
with  French  crews  (the  Lord  Mornington  and  Endeavor), 
made  sail  and  effected  their  escape  after  an  ineffectual  chase 
by  the  Sybille,  the  shattered  condition  of  her  rigging  pre 
venting  the  possibility  of  carrying  sufficient  sail  to  overhaul 
them. 

The  joy  of  the  SyUlle's  crew  was  terribly  damped  by 
the  grievous  wound  received  by  their  captain  ;  a  grape-shot 
had  entered  the  fleshy  portion  of  his  right  arm,  and  tearing 

*  The  description  of  this  celebrated  action  between  the  Sybille  and  the 
Forte  is  extracted  from  James's  "Naval  History." 


CA.KT   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  209 

its  way  through  the  ribs  it  had  passed  out  at  the  back  near 
the  spine  ;  the  doctor  had  no  hope  of  his  recovery. 

A  few  days  were  passed  in  rigging  the  Forte  under 
jury-rnasts,  after  which  she  was  taken  in  tow  by  the  Sybille 
to  Calcutta,  where  she  could  be  repaired  sufficiently  to  en 
able  her  to  proceed  to  England.  Upon  arrival  at  Calcutta 
there  was  universal  gratification  at  the  sight  of  the  dreaded 
Forte  thus  brought  in  as  a  capture  by  the  gallant  Sybille. 
But  the  unfortunate  Captain  Cooke  could  enjoy  no  share 
of  the  honors  that  were  heaped  upon  them.  The  glory  of 
this  world  was  passed ;  and  he  gradually  sank,  and  died  a 
few  days  after  his  arrival.  Before  his  death  he  had  re 
quested  to  see  Ned  Grey,  in  whom  he  had  taken  the  warm 
est  interest,  and  he  confided  him  to  the  care  of  Lieutenant 
Hardyman,  requesting  that,  as  he  had  been  forcibly  taken 
from  his  home,  he  might  return  to  England  on  board  .the 
Forte,  together  with  Nigger  Tim  and  the  dog  Nero.  The 
latter  had  so  attached  himself  to  the  captain  that  he  had 
seldom  stirred  from  his  cabin  since  the  day  he  had  received 
hi.^  mortal  wound. 

The  body  of  Captain  Cooke  was  buried  at  Calcutta  with 
military  honors,  followed  to  the  grave  not  only  by  the  Sy- 
billds  officers  and  crew  but  by  an  enormous  assemblage  of 
people,  among  whom  there  was  no  more  sincere  mourner 
than  Ned  Grey,  who  had  lost  his  best  and  most  powerful 
friend. 

True  to  the  instructions  that  he  had  received  from  Cap 
tain  Cooke,  Lieutenant  Hardyman,  who  had  succeeded  to 
the  command,  placed  a  prize  crew  upon  the  Forte,  including 
xNed  Grey  and  his  party,  that  had  originally  been  kid 
napped,  together  with  Jem  Stevens,  who  had  shown  so 
much  nervousness  in  the  late  fight  that  the  officers  request 
ed  to  be  rid  of  him,  and  the  vessel,  having  been  partially 
repaired,  set  sail  for  England. 


210  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

The  Forte  was  commanded  by  the  same  officer  who  had 
taken  Ned  Grey  from  the  beach  on  the  morning  that  he 
and  Tim  had  left  Sandy  Cove  with  the  intention  of  return 
ing  home  to  breakfast,  and  the  good-natured  lieutenant 
now  looked  forward  to  returning  to  his  friends  the  same 
lad  covered  with  honor  that  he  had  originally  misled :  as 
he  had  left  England  on  board  the  SybiHe^  so  he  would  re 
turn  on  board  the  Sybille's  prize,  which  he  had  bravely 
helped  to  win. 

On  the  25th  March  the  Forte  sailed,  and  had  fair  weath 
er  until  she  arrived  in  about  17°  south  latitude.  Ned  Grey 
was  acting  as  midshipman,  having  received  this  temporary 
promotion  for  the  voyage.  Nigger  Tim  was,  as  before,  in 
the  galley  as  cook's  mate ;  and  Jem  Stevens  was  as  sullen 
as  usual,  but  ever  since  the  action  with  the  Forte  he  had 
very  little  to  say,  as  during  the  fight  he  had  been  found  ly 
ing  upon  his  back,  at  first  supposed  to  be  killed,  but  upon 
examination  there  was  no  wound,  and  he  could  only  explain 
the  situation  by  declaring  that  he  had  been  knocked  down 
by  the  wind  of  a  shot  at  the  commencement  of  the  action, 
and  that  he  had  not  recovered  his  senses  until  it  was  over. 
Various  remarks  had  been  made  by  the  officers  and  crew, 
who  were  sufficiently  uncharitable  to  attribute  his  prostra 
tion  to  fear;  the  word  "coward"  had  been  used  by  more 
than  one  in  connection  with  this,  affair,  and  even  Nigger 
Tim  had  ventured  a  remark  that  had  become  a  by-word 
with  the  sailors — "  Massa  Stevens  smell  de  powder,  Massa 
Stevens  get  de  belly-ache."  Ned  Grey  had  long  since  dis 
continued  his  attempts  at  reconciliation ;  and  to  avoid  un 
pleasantness  he  said  as  little  to  his  old  school-fellow  as  pos 
sible. 

It  was  on  the  22d  April  that  the  Forte  suddenly  lost  the 
wind,  and  lay  becalmed.  The  barometer  had  fallen  in  an 
alarming  manner  since  the  morning,  and  it  continued  to 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  211 

sink  with  great  rapidity,  although  the  sky  was  perfectly 
clear.  At  about  an  hour  after  noon  snow-white  and  dense 
clouds,  like  mountains  of  frozen  snow,  rose  upon  all  quar 
ters  of  the  horizon,  and  were  it  not  for  the  oppressive  heat 
the  scene  might  have  been  imagined  in  the  Arctic  regions. 
Quickly  ascending  from  the  sea,  and  darkening  as  they 
rose,  the  clouds  massed  together,  and  uniting  from  all  di 
rections,  in  about  an  hour  they  formed  the  densest  canopy, 
that  totally  concealed  the  heavens.  The  sky  was  solidly 
black,  as  though  covered  by  thick  folds  of  velvet,  only  in 
certain  points  the  color  varied  to  a  dark  purplish  gray,  as 
one  edge  of  an  overlapping  stratum  was  exposed.  It  was 
the  hurricane  season  in  that  particular  latitude  and  longi 
tudinal  position,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  a  cyclone 
of  the  most  fearful  description  was  about  to  burst  upon 
them.  The  Forte  was  badly  manned,  as  few  could  be 
spared  from  the  Sybille,  and  the  greater  portion  of  the 
crew  were  Lascars;  in  addition  to  this  disadvantage  she 
had  only  been  patched  and  otherwise  hastily  repaired  since 
her  recent  engagement,  in  which  she  had  been  terribly  shat 
tered,  and  her  rigging  was  made  up  of  old  stuff  that  had 
been  procured  at  Calcutta  simply  to  enable  her  to  complete 
the  voyage  to  England  preparatory  to  a  general  refit.  Al 
together,  the  Forte  was  in  no  condition  to  contend  with  a 
tropical  cyclone. 

There  was  a  painful  stillness  in  the  air,  and  the  vessel 
rolled  heavily  in  the  long,  irregular  swell  of  the  sea,  as  there 
was  no  wind  to  steady  her.  Suddenly  there  was  a  scream 
as  though  ten  thousand  furies  yelled  and  flapped  their 
wings  high  up  in  the  dense  mass  of  inky  vapor ;  but  still 
the  sails  hung  listlessly  without  a  breath  of  air ;  these  were 
a  storm-stay-sail,  double-reefed  foresail,  and  spanker. 

It  was  nearly  dark,  although  hardly  3  P.M.  ;  the  sea  was 
black.  Presently,  in  the  far  distance  a  bright  white  streak 


212  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

appeared  low  upon  the  horizon,  which  increased  with  amaz 
ing  rapidity  until  it  resembled  an  endless  line  of  rolling 
snow.  There  was  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of  all  on  board — 
the  hurricane  was  upon  them  !  There  was  no  breath  of  air 
to  trim  the  sails  and  bring  the  vessel's  head  to  the  advanc 
ing  squall.  She  lay  helplessly  rolling  in  the  disturbed  and 
heavy  swell. 

In  the  mean  time  the  roar  of  the  approaching  storm 
could  plainly  be  heard  as  the  ghastly  line  of  foam  swept 
over  the  darkened  sea  with  incredible  velocity.  Every  man 
was  on  deck  and  at  his  post,  but  as  yet  nothing  could  be 
done.  The  roar  increased,  and  as  the  white  line  advanced 
the  surface  of  the  sea  behind  was  like  a  sheet  of  snow  after 
a  heavy  fall ;  the  water  appeared  compressed  and  flattened 
by  the  enormous  pressure  of  the  gale.  On  it  came !  nearer 
and  nearer,  in  all  the  madness  of  the  hurricane,  until,  with  a 
shriek  of  wfhd  and  tumultuous  rush  of  foaming  water,  the 
white  line  reached  them,  and  pressed  the  noble  frigate  on 
her  .beam-ends. 

The  fore-mast  snapped  short  off  by  the  deck ;  every  sail 
had  been  blown  to  shreds;  the  bowsprit  was  gone;  and 
thus  relieved  the  ship  slowly  recovered  her  position,  and 
drifted  at  a  fearful  speed  before  the  storm.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  describe  the  tempest  which  now  hurried  the 
frigate  from  her  course ;  the  sea,  that  had  at  first  been  van 
quished  by  the  wind,  now  rose  in  all  the  ocean's  majesty ; 
mountain  and  valley  could  be  reckoned  as  the  overwhelm 
ing  masses  of  water  swept  in  wild  waves  before  the  hurri 
cane,  their  curling  crests  blowing  off  into  misty  spray  as 
their  tops  became  exposed  to  the  force  of  the  wind.  Noth 
ing  more  could  be  done  than  to  loosen  a  few  reefs  of  the 
main-topsail,  and  run  before  the  storm. 

Night  came  on.  The  darkness  was  hardly  felt,  as  every 
half  minute  a  bright  flash  of  lightning  illumined  the  scene, 


CAST   UP  BIT  THE  SEA.  213 

succeeded  by  roars  of  thunder,  before  which  the  artillery 
of  the  ship  would  have  appeared  like  a  faint  echo.  Running 
before  the  gale,  the  frigate  rolled  to  such  an  extent  in  the 
heavy  sea  that  no  one  could  stand  upon  the  decks  without 
holding  on.  Upon  several  occasions  she  had  shipped  great 
seas  that  rushed  bodily  across  her  decks  from  port  to  port ; 
every  thing  was  battened  down  securely,  and  thus  the  Forte 
rushed  headlong  before  the  resistless  storm. 

When  day  broke  the  hurricane,  if  possible,  increased, 
and  a  little  before  noon  a  sudden  whirlwind  carried  away 
the  main-topmast.  Cutting  the  wreck  adrift  the  Forte  roll 
ed  worse  than  before,  and  it  was  considered  necessary  to 
heave  some  of  her  guns  overboard  to  reduce  the  deck  load. 
This  was  effected  with  great  difficulty,  and  one  by  one  her 
heavy  guns  plunged  into  the  deep.  All  those  from  the  up 
per  deck  had  disappeared,  and  the  effect  was  quickly  ob 
served.  Although  she  still  rolled  heavily,  ske  no  longer 
shipped  a  sea  at  every  lurch. 

Three  days  and  nights  thus  passed  away  in  the  gloom 
and  misery  of  the  hurricane.  The  world  appeared  to  be 
made  up  of  thunder,  lightning,  wind,  waves,  and  darkness ! 

On  the  fourth  morning  the  storm  began  to  abate,  and  the 
wind,  although  still  blowing  a  violent  gale,  was  no  longer 
the  hurricane  which  had  driven  them  from  their  course. 
As  yet  the  sky  had  been  completely  overcast,  thus  no  ob 
servation  could  be  taken,  and  the  position  of  the  ship  could 
only  be  vaguely  guessed  by  dead  reckoning,  The  vessel 
had  been  running  at  about  an  average  of  eleven  knots  an 
hour  throughout  the  storm,  and  as  the  direction,  although 
varying,  tended  principally  to  north-west,  it  was  considered 
that  she  must  have  either  run  past  the  northern  extremity 
of  Madagascar,  or  be  still  on  the  east  of  that  island.  In 
either  case  it  was  a  most  dangerous  position,  as  the  storm 
still  blew  with  great  violence,  and  was  driving  them  toward 


214  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

a  lee  shore.  The  sea  was  exceedingly  heavy,  as  the  hurri 
cane  had  forced  it  toward  the  west ;  thus  the  full  power  of 
the  Indian  Ocean  was  surging  in  that  direction. 

The  day  passed  away  as  usual  in  deep  gloom,  but  as 
night  came  on  there  was  a  decided  improvement  in  the 
weather,  which,  although  bad,  was  as  nothing  compared  to 
the  storm  to  which  they  had  been  for  so  long  exposed.  The 
men  began  to  breathe  again;  the  ship  had  leaked  badly, 
owing  to  the  numerous  shot-holes,  some  of  which  were  inse 
curely  stopped;  thus  the  pumps  had  been  kept  going 
throughout  the  storm,  and  the  men  were  nearly  worn  out. 
As  the  night  closed  in  all  hoped  for  fine  weather  on  the 
morrow,  and  Ned  Grey,  who  had  had  little  sleep,  swung  in 
his  hammock  cheered  with  happy  dreams,  in  which  he  saw 
the  cottage  on  the  cliff,  and  Edith  and  his  mother.  Sud 
denly  he  was  almost  thrown  from  his  hammock  by  a  sharp 
jerk,  and  waking  quickly  he  heard  a  confused  noise  and 
trampling  of  feet,  together  with  the  sound  of  a  heavy  rush 
of  water.  He  sprang  from  his  hammock,  but  hardly  had 
he  reached  the  deck  than  a  tremendous  shock  sent  him 
staggering  against  the  bulkhead ;  at  the  same  instant  he 
heard  a  loud  crash  upon  the  upper  deck. 

Recovering  from  the  shock  he  rushed  up  the  companion. 
At  the  moment  that  he  arrived  he  fortunately  grasped  a 
rope  in  the  pitchy  darkness,  as  a  heavy  wave  swept  across 
the  vessel  and  carried  several  men  overboard,  which  would 
also  have  been  Ned's  fate  had  he  not  held  firmly  on.  Noth 
ing  could  be  seen.  The  wind  was  blowing  hard,  but  it  had 
much  abated,  and  the  storm  was  evidently  dying  out ;  nev 
ertheless  the  sea  was  running  very  high,  and  presently  the 
vessel  rose  upon  a  tremendous  wave,  and  once  more  Ned 
felt  a  shock  that  for  the  moment  threw  him  off  his  legs. 
Again  a  heavy  sea  swept  the  decks,  and  rolled  completely 
over  the  hapless  frigate,  which ^  having  weathered  the  storm, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  215 

had  now  been  driven  on  a  reef  in  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
The  main-mast  had  fallen  overheard  at  the  second  shock  of 
striking;  the  vessel  now  rested  immovable,  the  fore  part 
firmly  wedged  upon  the  coral  reef,  while  every  sea  swept 
over  her  with  fearful  violence. 

Some  of  the  crew  were  in  the  mizzen  rigging ;  this  was 
the  only  remaining  mast,  and  there  was  no  fear  of  its  loss, 
as  the  vessel  was  now  stationary:  a  crowd  of  men  had 
therefore  occupied  the  mizzen-top. 

As  the  night  wore  on  the  clouds  began  to  break,  and  the 
stars  peeped  out  from  the  thick  veil  that  had  so  long  con 
cealed  them ;  the  wind  had  also  sensibly  decreased,  but  the 
sea  struck  heavily  upon  the  frigate,  and  as  the  stern  hung 
in  deep  water,  while  the  fore  part  was  fixed  upon  the  reef, 
she  had  already  broken  her  back  and  had  filled  with  water ; 
her  sides  had  opened  amidships,  and  there  was  great  danger 
of  her  going  tft  pieces. 

When  morning  broke,  after  a  long  and  weary  night,  the 
first  person  that  Ned  saw  was  Nigger  Tim,  shivering  with 
wet  and  cold  and  clinging  to  the  windlass,  to  which  he  had 
secured  Nero  with  a  rope.  The  sea  still  broke  over  the 
ship  at  intervals  ;  but  as  daylight  had  dawned  Ned  left  his 
secure  position  and  went  aft  to  receive  orders. 

Amidships  the  deck  was  torn  up,  and  the  stern  was  hang 
ing  lower  than  the  fore  part  of  the  ship.  The  lieutenant  in 
command  was  missing,  with  many  of  the  crew,  who*  had 
been  washed  overboard  during  the  night,  and  the  scene  of 
confusion  was  beyond  description.  There  was  no  one  to 
command  except  Jem  Stevens  and  another  midshipman,  and 
the  men  had  lost  all  discipline,  and  merely  thought  of  sav 
ing  themselves  by  the  boats,  of  which  few  were  left,  as  they 
had  been  dashed  to  pieces  by  the  surf.  It  was  in  vain  that 
Ned  attempted  to  restore  order.  The  Lascars  had  attempt 
ed  to  push  off  from  the  ship  unobserved,  upon  the  discovery 


216  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

of  which  a  fight  ensued,  and  the  English,  being  the  strong 
er,  threw  many  of  them  overboard.  The  men  would  listen 
to  no  commands,  and  simply  united  in  their  endeavors  to 
launch  the  cutter,  as  they  momentarily  expected  the  vessel 
would  part  asunder  and  sink  in  deep  water. 

Others  of  the  crew  succeeded  in  launching  two  smaller 
boats,  and  leaping  wildly  into  them  they  pushed  off  from 
the  ship  ;  but  being  overcrowded  they  almost  immediately 
filled  and  upset,  disappearing  with  all  hands  in  the  raging 
surf.  .At  length,  after  many  fruitless  efforts,  the  cutter  was 
safely  lowered,  and  kept  away  about  three  boats'  lengths 
from  the  ship ;  Jem  Stevens  was  already  in  her,  and  many 
men  now  sprang  into  the  water,  and  endeavored  to  reach 
the  boat  by  swimming.  About  twenty  were  taken  on  board, 
and,  seeing  the  necessity  of  self-preservation,  Ned  called  to 
Tim  to  follow  him,  and  both  lads,  accompanied  by  the  dog, 
sprang  into  the  sea  and  swam  toward  the  boat.  In  a  few 
strokes  they  arrived  at  her  side  just  as  the  crew,  having 
manned  the  twelve  oars,  were  preparing  to  pull  away  from 
the  ship.  Ned  clung  to  the  stern,  his  example  being  fol 
lowed  by  Tim. 

"  Give  a  hand !"  cried  Ned  to  Jem  Stevens,  who  was 
seated  in  the  stern. 

"  Hands  off !"  cried  Stevens ;  "  the  boat's  full !  you're  too 
late  !"  at  the  same  time  he  threatened  to  cut  Ned's  fingers 
with  liis  knife  (which  he  quickly  opened)  unless  he  let  go 
his  hold.  "  Give  way,  my  lads  !"  he  cried  at  the  same  time 
to  the  crew,  who  had  not  observed  Ned  Grey,  who  was  con 
cealed  by  the  stern  of  the  boat ;  at  the  same  instant  the  ten 
oars  dipped  in  the  water,  and  the  large  boat  started  for 
ward  at  a  powerful  stroke.  Ned  had  clung  to  the  boat ; 
but  seeing  that  Stevens  actually  cut  at  his  fingers,  he  re 
laxed  his  hold  just  in  time  to  avoid  the  knife,  and  the  boat 
left  him  swimming  in  the  water. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  219 

Tim  was  still  clinging  to  the  gunwale,  but  upon  observ 
ing  Ned  deserted,  he  relinquished  "his  hold  and  swam  back 
to  his  young  master,  at  the  same  time  he  shouted,  "  Catch 
de  ship,  Massa  Ned !  nebber  mind  de  boat.  Debbel  take 
care  of  Massa  Stevens  !" 

Ned  followed  Tim's  advice,  and  struck  out  for  the  frigate, 
and  fortunately  both  lads  caught  hold  of  a  floating  mast 
just  as  the  vessel  parted  amidships,  and  the  after  portion 
disappeared  entirely  in  deep  water.  Had  they  not  clung 
to  the  mast  they  must  have  been  sucked  under  by  the  vor 
tex  of  the  sinking  hull.  Nothing  now  remained  but  the 
fore  part  of  the  frigate,  which  was  firmly  fixed  upon  the 
reef.  To  this  portion  of  the  wreck  the  two  lads  swam,  and 
climbed  on  board  by  means  of  the  broken  shrouds  hanging 
from  the  fore-chains ;  they  then  secured  the  dog  by  a  rope, 
and  hauled  him  upon  deck.  Another  boat  in  addition  to 
the  cutter  had  succeeded  in  leaving  the  wreck.  Many  peo 
ple  had  perished  with  the  sunken  stern;  others  had  been 
drowned  in  their  attempts  to  reach  the  boats;  some  had 
been  washed  overboard  during  the  night ;  and  as  Ned  and 
Tim  now  stood  upon  the  forecastle  with  the  faithful  Nero 
they  were  the  only  living  beings  that  remained  upon  the 
wreck  of  the  once-powerful  frigate  Forte.  The  boats  had 
pulled  out  to  sea  in  a  direction  north-west. 

By  degrees  the  wind  died  away  as  the  sun  sank  in  the  even 
ing  ;  the  clouds  had  broken,  and  as  the  moon  rose  they  grad 
ually  dispersed ;  the  stars  shone  brightly ;  the  stormy  sea 
had  spent  its  rage,  and  subsided  into  a  long  and  sullen  swellj 
and  peace  once  more  reigned  among  the  exhausted  elements. 
Hungry  and  tired,  the  three  living  creatures  on  the  wreck 
lay  down  and  slept  upon  the  deck  of  the  forecastle.  The 
sea  no  longer  broke  over  the  fragment  of  the  hull,  but  simply 
dashed  harmlessly  against  the  sides,  and  splashed  into  the 
interior  of  the  hold  where  the  vessel  had  parted  amidships. 


220  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  NOTIIER  morning  broke  ;  it  was  clear  and  beautiful. 
-£^-  Not  a  cloud  dimmed  the  sky  in  the  gray  dawn,  and 
the  sun  rose  upon  a  calm  sea ;  no  vestige  of  the  tempest  re 
mained  but  the  broken  wreck — the  Sybille?s  prize,  that  was 
to  have  conveyed  Ned  to  England  and  his  home. 

Ned  and  Tim  had  both  slept  soundly,  in  spite  of  the 
chill  of  wet  clothes ;  the  weather  was  warm,  and  as  the  sun 
rose,  the  heat  soon  dried  them.  Ned  Grey  was  not  defi- 
cient  in  romance,  but  he  felt  that,  however  exciting  the  ad 
venture,  much  remained  to  be  done  to  save  their  lives. 
Tim  was  entirely  practical,  and  as  he  felt  extremely  hungry 
he  desired  something  to  eat.  Judging  from  Nero's  de 
meanor,  he  was  of  the  same  opinion,  as  he  constantly  pawed 
his  young  master  Ned,  and  looked  wistfully  in  his  face,  as 
though  he  thought  he  had  forgotten  to  order  breakfast. 

All  the  fowls  had  been  washed  overboard  together  with 
the  hen-coops  and  half  a  dozen  sheep  that  had  been  taken  on 
board  for  the  officers :  there  was  literally  nothing  to  eat, 
unless  they  could  discover  some  casks  of  provisions  among 
the  mass  of  miscellaneous  cargo  that  occupied  the  fore-hold. 
Descending  into  the  interior  of  the  wreck  among  a  chaos  of 
barrels,  Ned  broke  in  the  head  of  a  cask  with  a  heavy  iron 
marling-spike,  and  to  his  great  joy  he  found  that  it  contain 
ed  biscuits,  which  were  perfectly  dry  and  uninjured ;  ac 
cordingly,  lest  the  sea  should  again  rise,  both  he  and  Tirn 
employed  themselves  in  carrying  up  a  large  quantity^ which 
they  piled  on  deck,  nor  did  they  relinquish  their  work  un 
til,  by  means  of  a  piece  of  canvas  cut  from  a  sail,  they  had 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  221 

conveyed  away  the  whole  contents  of  the  barrel.  Upon  a 
further  search  they  discovered  a  cask  branded  "  India  Mess 
Beef,"  whereupon  the  head  was  removed,  and  a  sufficient 
supply  was  transported  to  the  upper  deck.  Fortunately 
several  casks  of  fresh  water  were  discovered,  therefore  their 
immediate  wants  were  supplied.  They  had  no  means  of 
lighting  a  fire  until  a  further  search  should  yield  the  mate 
rials,  therefore  they  breakfasted  off  biscuits  and  uncooked 
salt  beef,  and  never  had  they  eaten  with  better  appetites. 
Nero  feasted  upon  biscuits  soaked  in  water,  with  a  few 
pieces  of  small  chopped  meat. 

Having  satisfied  their  hunger,  Ned  carefully  surveyed 
their  position.  The  vessel  was  lying  upon  a  sunken  reef, 
many  portions  of  which  were  within  two  or  three  feet  of 
the  surface.  About  two  miles  from  this  spot  there  was  a 
long  but  narrow  reef  that  formed  a  coral  island,  to  which 
Ned  at  once  determined  to  transport  all  that  they  would  re 
quire  lest  another  storm  should  destroy  the  wreck.  From 
this  reef  he  trusted  they  might  be  able  to  reach  the  main 
land. 

Without  any  delay  both  he  and  Tim  set  to  work.  Sev 
eral  empty  water-casks  were  floating  about  in  the  fore-hold, 
and  having  selected  ten,  Ned,  with  Tim's  assistance,  suc 
ceeded  in  lashing  them  together  with  spars,  so  as  to  form  a 
most  buoyant  raft,  twenty-two  feet  long  by  ten  in  width. 
The  sea  had  sunk  to  a  complete  calm  by  the  afternoon ; 
and  as  the  fore  part  of  the  vessel  was  thrown  high  upon  the 
reef,  it  was  rather  above  its  natural  level,  therefore  the  wa 
ter  only  covered  the  bottom  cargo.  Fortunately  the  lower 
deck  was  dry,  as  the  ship  having  parted  in  the  middle  the 
water  that  she  had  shipped  during  the  storm  had  run  out 
when  the  sea  subsided.  When  Ned  descended  he  at  once 
found  the  carpenter's  tool-chest,  with  a  large  quantity  of  all 
kinds  of  stores,  and  forcing  away  the  bulkheads  he  made 


222  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

use  of  the  planks  to  cover  the  raft  so  as  to  form  a  deck, 
From  sunrise  to  sunset  the  two  lads  worked  without  ceas 
ing,  by  which  time  they  had  decked  their  vessel ;  but  much 
remained  to  be  done. 

On  the  following  morning  they  again  set  to  work,  and 
having  discovered  a  spare  boat's  mast  among  the  carpen 
ter's  stores  they  fitted  it  securely  on  the  raft,  and  arranged 
a  sail.  At  the  same  time  Ned  constructed  a  rude  rudder 
with  an  oar,  and  improvised  a  false  keel  by  running  a  plank 
perpendicularly  through  the  deck,  both  fore  and  aft,  so  that 
it  should  project  about  three  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the 
raft,  and  thus  prevent  it  from  drifting  to  leeward. 

By  the  evening  of  the  second  day  the  raft  was  thorough 
ly  complete.  Ned  had  arranged  two  empty  water-casks 
amidships,  to  which  the  mast  was  lashed.  Both  he  and 
Tim  then  busied  themselves  in  carrying  fresh  water  in  buck 
ets  from  the  full  casks  on  board  the  wreck,  until  they  had 
completely  filled  the  casks  on  the  raft. 

Every  thing  was  in  perfect  order  by  the  evening  of  the 
second  day,  and  Ned  looked  forward  to  the  morrow  with 
eagerness,  as  he  would  then  try  the  sea-going  properties  of 
their  vessel. 

Before  sunrise  both  Ned  and  Tim  were  engaged  in  col 
lecting  all  that  they  considered  useful.  They  had  discover 
ed  a  couple  of  double-barrelled  guns  among  the  gunner's 
stores ;  and  having  selected  half  a  dozen  good  muskets  and 
pistols,  they  took  a  barrel  of  gunpowder,  a  hundred  flints, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  bullets  and  shot,  together  with  a 
couple  of  cutlasses  and  a  quantity  of  fishing-tackle,  including 
a  shark-hook  and  harpoon.  They  then  emptied  the  carpen 
ter's  chest,  together  with  several  of  the  sailor's  boxes,  and 
carried  them  to  the  raft,  where  they  stowed  them  around 
the  mast,  after  which  they  replaced  the  tools  in  the  carpen 
ter's  chest,  and  filled  the  others  with  biscuits  and  salt  beef. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  223 

+ 

Tim,  having  been  cook's  mate,  did  not  forget  his  pots 
and  pans,  but  visited  the  galley,  and  selected  a  good  kettle 
and  a  couple  of  saucepans,  with  a  gridiron.  By  noon  they 
were  ready  to  sail,  and  having  carried  down  a  large  parcel 
of  the  best  clothes  they  could  select  from  the  sailors'  kits, 
together  with  a  supply  of  needles,  thread,  buttons,  etc.,  they 
placed  several  large  sails  upon  their  cargo,  that  would  after 
ward  serve  as  an  awning  on  shore,  with  a  quantity  of  small 
spars  and  ropes,  and  pushed  off  from  the  wreck. 

The  wind  was  light  and  the  sea  smooth ;  thus  the  raft, 
although  very  heavily  laden,  sailed  easily,  without  wetting 
her  cargo ;  and  as  the  breeze  set  directly  toward  the  coral 
island,  there  was  no  difficulty  in  the  navigation.  The  two 
boys  were  in  high  spirits  at  the  success  of  their  raft,  which 
both  sailed  and  steered  well ;  and  although  alone  on  the 
wild  east  coast  of  Africa,  with  no  other  companion  than  the 
dog  Nero,  such  is  the  elasticity  of  youth,  and  the  excite 
ment  of  vanquishing  a  difficulty,  that  they  were  for  the  mo 
ment  thoroughly  happy  and  free  from  every  care. 

The  water  was  as  clear  as  glass,  and  as  they  passed  over 
the  coral  reefs  at  various  depths  they  could  be  seen  be 
low  like  gardens  of  brilliant  flowers  glistening  with  every 
color,  while  the  fish  of  many  kinds,  also  varying  in  bright 
colors  of  gold,  red,  and  blue,  swam  in  large  shoals  among  the 
coral  groves,  and  sometimes  sprang  high  from  the  water 
in  their  delight  at  the  warm  sun  and  the  calm  surface  of 
the  sea. 

Sailing  quietly  along  the  beautiful  gardens  of  the  deep 
the  raft  approached  the  coral  island,  which  appeared  to  form 
the  centre  of  the  surrounding  shallow  reefs.  It  was  a  long 
and  perfectly  flat  island,  that  might  be  upward  of  a  mile  in 
extent,  although  not  many  hundred  yards  in  width  ;  it  was 
protected  by  an  outer  reef,  which  girded  the  island  like  an 
artificial  outwork  upon  which  the  waves  broke  as  upon  a 


224  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

*> 

breakwater,  and  left  a  perfectly  smooth  harbor  within,  but 
extremely  shallow.  Such  are  the  wonderful  works  of  the 
minute  coral  insects,  those  apparently  insignificant  but 
mighty  engineers,  whose  works  are  never  washed  away,  and 
who  alone  can  safely  struggle  with  the  power  of  the  ocean. 

Although  the  sea  was  calm,  the  swell  broke  with  consid 
erable  force  upon  the  outer  reef,  and  it  required  some  cau 
tion  in  coasting  along  the  line,  until  an  entrance  could  be 
discovered  through  the  natural  breakwater.  The  raft  now 
felt  the  advantage  of  Ned's  false  keel,  without  which  it 
must  have  drifted  directly  upon  the  reef. 

After  having  coasted  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  a  gap 
was  discovered  in  the  reef,  through  which  the  raft  safely 
steered,  and  in  the  next  minute  they  found  themselves  in  a 
perfectly  calm  basin  of  crystal  water  of  that  beautiful  pale 
green  that  is  exhibited  in  the  precious  stone  called  aqua- 
marina.  The  basin  was  shallow,  and  once  or  twice  the 
planks  that  formed  the  false  keel  touched  the  rocky  bottom 
as  the  raft  slowly  glided  over  the  lovely  corals,  and  disturb 
ed  the  numerous  fish.  Beautiful  shells  were  seen  among 
the  coral  branches,  while  in  many  places  large  rocks  were 
entirely  covered  with  dense  masses  of  oysters,  that  looked 
as  though  they  had  swarmed  like  a  hive  of  bees.  Many 
delicate  but  widely-spreading  branches  of  coral  were  a  bril 
liant  scarlet ;  others  were  a  deep  blue,  some  were  variega 
ted  with  several  colors.  But  Tim,  who  could  not  resist  the 
temptation  of  dragging  some  on  board,  quickly  discovered 
the  deception,  as  the  bright  tint  rapidly  faded  upon  being 
exposed  to  the  air ;  these  flowers  of  the  ocean,  like  the  flow 
ers  of  the  earth,  soon  lost  their  beauty  when  broken  from 
the  stem. 

Gliding  over  this  fairy-like  sea  they  neared  the  island, 
and  as  the  water  was  very  shallow  Ned  took  in  the  sail,  arid 
both  boys  jumping  overboard  they  gently  towed  the  raft 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  225 

to  the  land,  and  moored  it  to  a  large  mass  of  coral.  There 
was  no  necessity  for  precaution,  as  the  natural  but  well-pro 
tected  harbor  could  never  be  disturbed ;  and  the  island,  that 
was  flat  and  sandy,  was  perfectly  uninhabited.  A  large 
quantity  of  drift  timber,  portions  of  the  wreck,  had  drifted 
through  the  gap,  some  of  which  was  stranded  on  the  island, 
while  much  was  still  floating  in  the  calm  basin;  among 
other  things  Ned  observed  a  box  that  had  evidently  belong 
ed  to  the  late  frigate.  As  the  raft  was  secured,  and  both 
boys  were  already  wet,  they  waded  toward  the  case  and 
dragged  it  from  the  water.  It  was  a  strong  and  well-finish 
ed  oak  chest,  and  being  locked  they  were  obliged  to  break 
it  open.  It  contained  several  suits  of  officers'  clothes  :  with 
shirts,  socks,  shoes,  a  looking-glass,  brushes  and  combs,  a 
brace  of  beautiful  pistols  with  ten-inch  barrels  carrying  an 
ounce  ball,  a  bag  of  bullets,  powder-flask,  a  telescope,  sex 
tant,  and  compass,  a  silver  pint  drinking-cup,  and  a  Prayer- 
book  and  Bible,  in  the  latter  of  which  was  written  the 
name,  "  James  Stevens." 

"  Jem  Stevens's  chest !"  exclaimed  ]STed,  in  astonish 
ment.  "  What  luck  to  find  the  sextant  and  the  compass  !" 
he  continued,  as  he  examined  both  the  instruments,  of  which 
he  had  fortunately  learned  the  use  when  on  board  the  Sy- 
bille  and  the  Forte. 

Tim  had  in  the  mean  time  taken  the  looking-glass,  in 
which  he  was  scrutinizing  his  own  countenance  with  evi 
dent  satisfaction ;  but  upon  hearing  that  it  was  Stevens's 
property  that  had  thus  fortuitously  come  into  their  posses 
sion,  he  burst  into  a  fit  of  laughing,  exclaiming,  "  Ha,  ha ! 
Tim  knows.  Debbel  take  care  of  Massa  Stevens,  God  take 
care  of  Massa  Ned,  send  him  Massa  Stevens's  chest !  Ha, 
ha,  ha  !"  continued  the  delighted  Tim, "  what  Massa  Stevens 
do  ?  Get  no  chest !  no  clothes  !  no  looking-glass  !  can't  see 
his  ugly  face !  Ha,  ha,  ha  !  don't  want  Massa  Stevens,  got 

K2 


226  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

his  chest.  Debbel  catch  Massa  Stevens,  Tim  catch  his  box  ! 
Ha,  ha !  dat's  what  Tim  call  de  right  ting  'xactly !" 

No  one  would  have  supposed  from  Tim's  merriment  that 
they  were  two  wretched  castaways  on  a  desolate  coral  reef 
upon  the  savage  coast  of  Africa.  Although  Ned  did  not 
share  the  full  extent  of  Tim's  hilarity,  he  was  delighted  at 
the  inestimable  treasure  that  had  fallen  into  his  hands  in 
the  shape  of  a  sextant  and  compass,  which  was  further  in 
creased  by  the  discovery  of  a  small  bottle  of  mercury  and 
trough  for  an  artificial  horizon,  which  had  been  packed  up 
by  the  optician  in  case  astronomical  observations  on  shore 
should  be  requisite.  Not  only  were  the  instruments  of  vital 
importance,  but  the  box  likewise  contained  the  Nautical  Al 
manac  and  the  charts  of  the  Indian  Ocean,  including  the 
east  coast  of  Africa,  together  with  drawing  and  writing 
materials.  Next  in  value  to  the  astronomical  instruments 
was  the  brace  of  excellent  pistols. 

People  in  civilized  life  have  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  hap 
piness  that  such  an  unexpected  treasure  can  afford.  Riches 
depend  upon  their  actual  value,  and  at  that  moment  all  the 
gold  of  the  earth  would  have  been  utterly  useless  to  Ned ; 
but  under  their  present  circumstances  no  gift  could  have 
equalled  that  which  had  providentially  fallen  into  their 
hands.  Rejoiced  at  their  good-fortune  the  boys  commenced 
work,  and  having  fixed  four  poles  into  the  ground,  which 
they  had  brought  from  the  ship  for  that  purpose,  they 
steadied  them  by  cross-pieces  firmly  lashed  across,  over 
which  they  stretched  a  couple  of  sails,  which,  being  doub 
led,  effectually  protected  them  from  the  burning  sun ;  the 
roof  of  their  tent  being  completed,  they  strained  the  canvas 
upon  either  side  at  an  angle,  and  pegged  it  to  the  ground. 
In  some  places  the  rock  preventing  them  from  driving  in 
the  pegs,  accordingly  they  rolled  large  masses  of  coral  into 
convenient  positions,  to  which  they  attached  the  cords  that 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  227 

stretched  the  sides  of  their  tent.  They  now  arranged  a 
few  chests  which  they  carried  with  some  difficulty  from 
the  raft ;  and  having  heaped  up  two  masses  of  sand  in  an 
oblong  shape  like  raised  asparagus  beds,  they  threw  a  sail 
over  each,  and  forming  a  pillow  by  an  extra  hillock  at  the 
end,  they  completed  a  couple  of  couches  more  roomy  and 
comfortable  than  the  hammocks  in  which  they  had  been  ac 
customed  to  swing  on  board  the  frigate. 

By  the  time  their  work  was  complete  they  were  hungry 
and  thirsty.  Taking  a  draught  of  water  they  determined 
to  boil  a  piece  of  beef,  and  choosing  a  nice  fat  joint  from 
their  stock,  Tim  collected  a  quantity  of  firewood  from  the 
drift-timber  on  the  shore  while  Ned  prepared  a  fire.  He 
had  no  tinder,  neither  were  there  any  small  twigs  nor  any 
thing  that  is  requisite  to  light  a  fire ;  however,  they  had 
plenty  of  wood,  and  as  some  fragments  of  deal  cases  had 
been  cast  ashore,  and  thoroughly  dried  in  the  sun,  he  select 
ed  a  piece  with  a  straight  grain,  and  with  his  large  and 
sharp  knife  that  hung  from  his  side  he  split  it  into  fine 
slips ;  he  then  took  a  plane  from  the  tool-chest,  and  with 
another  portion  of  the  wood  he  supplied  a  few  handfuls 
of  fine  shavings.  Cutting  off  a  portion  of  dry  canvas 
from  the  ragged  end  of  a  sail,  he  bruised  about  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  gunpowder,  with  which  he  rubbed  the  sail 
cloth  until  it  was  perfectly  blackened;  he  then  spread  a 
small  pinch  of  powder  on  the  surface  as  he  placed  it  in 
the  pan  of  an  unloaded  musket,  and  pulled  the  trigger. 
In  an  instant  it  ignited  and  burned  fiercely.  Ned  now 
rolled  up  the  burning  cloth,  and  placed  it  in  the  centre 
of  the  shavings  like  a  bouquet,  which  he  swung  rapidly 
round  with  the  full  force  of  his  arm  until  the  draught  of 
air  fanned  it  into  a  blaze;  upon  this  he  placed  the  small 
wood  that  he  had  already  prepared,  and  as  it  readily  took 
fire  he  piled  cautiously  larger  pieces  in  proportion  to  the 


228  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA, 

strength  of  the  flame,  until  a  large  oaken  log  at  length  rest 
ed  on  the  top  of  the  pile. 

The  fire  now  blazed  brightly,  about  ten  yards  distant 
from  the  tent.  It  was  near  sunset,  and  the  great  heat  of 
the  day  was  past.  There  were  no  sharks  in  the  shallow  wa 
ter  within  the  outer  reef,  therefore  Ned  took  off  his  clothes 
to  bathe  while  Tim  was  cooking  the  dinner.  He  plunged 
into  the  clear  water,  and  revelled  in  the  luxury  of  a  bath, 
especially  as  he  would  be  able  to  change  his  clothes  and  en 
joy  a  clean  shirt  from  Jem  Steveus's  stock.  He  dare  not 
put  his  feet  to  the  bottom  on  account  of  the  sharp  coral 
and  shells ;  but  having  incautiously  done  so  as  he  was  com 
ing  out,  he  discovered  that  the  object  that  had  cut  his  foot 
was  a  huge  mass  of  fine  oysters  cemented  together  so  as  to 
form  a  rock  of  about  two  hundred-weight.  Calling  to  Tim 
for  assistance,  after  much  labor  by  their  joint  exertions 
they  rolled  it  to  the  shore,  and  surveyed  their  prize  in  some 
perplexity,  as  the  oysters  were  curiously  contorted,  and 
most  difficult  to  open.  Ned  had  already  broken  the  point 
of  his  good  knife  when  an  idea  happily  struck  him.  "  Give 
a  hand,  Tim,"  he  cried,  "  and  let's  roll  the  rock  close  to  lee 
ward  of  the  fire ;  the  wind  will  blow  the  heat  upon  it,  and 
the  oysters  will  open  by  themselves !" 

"  Massa  Ned  know  de  trick  !"  replied  Tim,  exultingly, 
as  he  put  his  shoulder  to  the  work,  and  they  presently  rolled 
the  rock  to  the  desired  position.  The  heat  was  intense ; 
the  surface  of  the  mass  first  became  dry,  then  several  oys 
ters  gaped  widely,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  example  was 
generally  followed,  and  as  Ned  turned  the  other  side  toward 
the  fire  the  entire  rock  bristled  with  gaping  shells. 

Tim  was  delighted,  and  enjoyed  the  feast;  but  being  a 
cook  he  contrived  a  good  dish,  and  stewed  some  of  the  oys~ 
ters  with  broken  captain's  biscuits  and  small  portions  of 
salt  beef.  Salt  they  had  none,  but  they  had  a  fire,  a  kettle, 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  229 

and  the  sea- water ;  thus  they  kept  the  kettle  boiling'  briskly, 
which  they  re-filled  as  it  evaporated,  until  the  brine  became 
strong,  when  it  was  boiled  nearly  dry,  and  a  considerable 
supply  of  salt  was  procured  of  excellent  quality. 

After  an  excellent  dinner,  which  they  finished  as  the  full 
moon  rose,  Ned  determined  to  discover  the  latitude  by  the 
meridian  altitude  of  a  star ;  accordingly  he  walked  some 
distance  from  the  blazing  fire,  and  looking  attentively  at  the 
heavens,  he  singled  out  Capella  as  the  brightest  star  near 
the  meridian.  After  a  careful  observation  with  the  sextant 
he  completed  his  calculations,  and  found  that  the  reef  upon 
which  they  stood  was  situated  in  south  latitude  10°  30'. 

He  could  only  guess  vaguely  at  the  longitude ;  but  upon 
considering  the  run  of  the  frigate  during  the  hurricane, 
upon  reference  to  the  chart  of  the  east  coast  of  Africa,  he 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  their  position  was  not  more 
than  fifty  miles  from  the  main  land,  and  that  the  current 
must  have  carried  the  ship  into  the  northern  mouth  of  the 
Mozambique  Channel,  to  the  west  of  the  extreme  point  of 
Madagascar.  The  latitude  of  Zanzibar  was  7°  20'.  This 
being  a  Portuguese  settlement,  Ned  hoped  to  reach  it 
either  by  sea  should  the  wind  be  fair,  or  should  they  gain 
the  main  land  he  trusted  to  arrive  there  on  foot.  In  either 
case  the  voyage  upon  the  raft  would  be  most  hazardous ; 
but  as  the  weather  would  most  probably  be  settled  after 
the  recent  storm,  Ned  resolved  to  start  without  loss  of  time, 
lest  the  present  fair  wind  should  change.  He  accordingly 
communicated  his  intention  to  Tim,  and  he  arranged  to 
start  on  the  following  morning.  The  night  was  cool  and 
delightful,  and  as  bright  as  the  full  moon  of  the  tropics 
could  shine,  without  a  cloud.  Ned  wished  to  stroll  round 
the  narrow  island  before  he  left  on  the  morrow,  therefore, 
calling  Tim  and  Nero  to  accompany  him,  he  walked  along 
the  edge  of  the  coral  reef. 


230  CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

They  had  proceeded  about  half  a  mile  when  they  arrived 
at  a  spot  where  the  rock  was  no  longer  abrupt ;  but  a  beau 
tiful  snow-white  sand,  the  debris  of  wasted  and  wave- worn 
coral,  formed  a  wide  shelving  beach  for  some  hundred  yards 
in  length.  Upon  this  plain  white  surface  were  a  number 
of  low  dark  objects  that  looked  like  casks,  which,  washed 
ashore,  had  become  half  imbedded  in  the  sand.  The  near 
est  was  about  a  hundred  yards  from  them,  and  as  they  ap 
proached  to  their  astonishment  it  began  to  move  toward 
the  sea. 

"  Turtle  !"  shouted  Ned,  as  he  dashed  forward  to  cut  off 
the  creature's  retreat.  "  Go  at  him,  Nero  !"  he  cried,  as  the 
dog  shot  ahead  of  his  master  in  the  race.  In  a  few  seconds 
Nero  was  vainly  attempting  to  hold  by  the  hard  and  slip 
pery  shell ;  but  as  the  turtle  had  withdrawn  its  head  under 
cover,  it  stopped  until  Ned  arrived,  when  he  dexterously 
turned  it  upon  its  back.  In  the  mean  time  Tim  had  run  on 
and  cut  off  the  retreat  of  several  others,  which  he  had  turn* 
ed  upon  their  backs,  in  which  position  they  would  be  help 
less  until  righted.  In  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  eight  large 
turtle  had  been  thus  captured,  and  Ned  quickly  discovered 
that  this  bank  of  fine  sand  was  a  favorite  spot  for  deposit 
ing  their  eggs.  There  were  numerous  holes  that  had  been 
freshly  scraped  in  the  sand  to  a  depth  of  about  eighteen 
inches;  in  some  of  these  were  several  hundreds  of  eggs, 
that  had  been  laid  from  time  to  time  during  the  nocturnal 
visits  of  the  turtles.  These  curious  creatures  are  in  the 
habit  of  visiting  the  shore  after  sunset,  but  seldom  or  nev 
er  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  during  which  they  remain 
either  floating  lazily  on  the  surface  of  the  water  or  in 
the  cooler  depths  below.  At  night  the  female  seeks  some 
sandy  beach,  in  which  with  her  horny  head  and  fins  she  ex 
cavates  a  hole  some  distance  above  high- water  mark :  in 
this  she  lays  the  number  of  eggs  that  may  be  ready  for  the 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  &EA.  231 

deposit,  after  which  she  carefully  covers  them  with  sand, 
and  conceals  the  recent  excavation.  Every  night  she  re 
turns  to  the  same  spot  and  re-opens  the  hole,  in  which  she 
deposits  a  fresh  batch  of  eggs,  as  a  hen  daily  visits  her 
nest,  until  from  three  to  six  hundred  have  been  laid.  When 
the  number  is  complete  the  female  leaves  the  nest  to  the  ac 
tion  of  the  sand  heated  by  the  sun's  rays,  and  by  this  sim 
ple  process  of  incubation  the  young  turtles,  when  no  larger 
than  a  crown  piece,  free  themselves  from  the  eggs  and 
work  their  way  through  the  sand.  Upon  arrival  at  the  sur 
face  they  follow  their  natural  instincts,  and  scramble  to  the 
sea  in  crowds,  where  a  great  portion  are  devoured,  not  only 
by  the  larger  fish  but  by  other  turtles.  The  eggs  are  good 
eating,  and  are  extremely  rich  ;  as  the  exterior  is  never  hard 
like  the  egg  of  a  bird,  but  is  tough  and  flexible  like  fine 
white  kid,  they  are  easily  packed  without  danger  of  break 
age. 

Ned  rejoiced  in  this  unlooked-for  supply  of  fresh  food 
for  their  voyage.  Several  turtles  could  easily  be  stowed 
upon  the  raft,  and  be  kept  alive  by  simply  pouring  a  few 
buckets  of  sea  water  over  them  during  the  day.  Food  they 
would  not  require,  as  the  stomach  of  the  turtle  has  a  won 
derful  power  of  contraction ;  and  one  of  the  peculiarities  of 
this  creature  is,  that  he  can  continue  for  many  days  without 
eating,  and  still  retain  its  original  weight,  if  only  wetted 
with  salt  water. 

Ned  determined  to  leave  his  immovable  captives  on  their 
backs  during  the  night,  and  to  call  for  them  with  the  raft 
early  on  the  following  morning,  as  he  perceived  a  much 
wider  and  more  practicable  outlet  from  the  reef  than  that 
by  which  the  raft  had  entered.  It  was  through  this  wide 
entrance  that  the  waves  had  washed  the  sand  that  allured 
the  turtles  as  a  resting-place. 

Delighted  with  their  evening's  work,  Ned  and  Tim  re- 

H 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY 


232  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

turned  to  their  tent,  and  in  the  cool  and  bright  night  they 
replaced  the  chests  upon  the  raft,  struck  the  tent,  and  got 
every  thing  on  board  in  readiness  for  their  departure  at 
sunrise.  At  the  same  time  they  did  not  forget  to  lay  a 
piece  of  canvas  upon  the  deck,  on  which  they  piled  about 
two  hundred-weight  of  sand.  The  canvas  beneath  was  to 
prevent  the  sand  from  running  through  the  crevices  be 
tween  the  planks,  and  disappearing  like  water  through  a 
leak:  the  pile  of  sand  was  to  be  the  foundation  for  the 
cooking-fire.  After  this,  all  was  completed  by  the  stowage 
of  a  quantity  of  fire-wood  around  the  foot  of  the  mast. 

Ned  rose  after  a  sound  sleep  in  the  fresh  open  air.  The 
stars  were  still  faintly  twinkling  in  the  gray  sky,  and  the 
moon  was  bright,  although  as  pale  as  frosted  silver.  It  was 
an  hour  before  sunrise,  and  he  woke  Tim,  who  was  snoring 
like  a  young  pig. 

As  all  preparations  for  departure  had  been  wisely  made 
on  the  previous  day,  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to 
shove  the  raft  off  the  shore,  and  with  a  delightful  breeze  the 
sail  filled,  and  they  glided  pleasantly  along  the  smooth  wa 
ter.  In  about  ten  minutes  they  arrived  at  the  sandy  beach, 
where  they  found  their  turtles  as  they  had  left  them.  Some 
were  so  heavy  that  they  could  hardly  carry  them ;  but  as 
the  great  object  was  to  keep  a  supply  of  fresh  provisions, 
they  rejected  the  largest,  and  selected  three  that  weighed 
about  seventy  pounds  each.  These  they  carried  down  to 
the  raft,  and  then  turned  the  rejected  and  heavier  turtles 
upon  their  flappers,  which  they  at  once  made  use  of  by  wad 
dling  down  to  the  water,  in  which  they  disappeared. 

Both  Ned  and  Tim  hurried  in  their  work,  and  they  were 
not  long  in  collecting  several  hundred  eggs,  which  they 
stowed  in  one  of  their  chests.  They  then  set  sail. 

The  exit  from  the  basin  was  broad,  and  as  the  wind  was 
fair,  the  raft  steered  into  the  open  sea  without  any  difficul- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  233 

ty.  The  extra  weight  of  the  turtles,  and  the  sand,  fire-wood, 
etc.,  had  made  the  raft  so  heavy  that  Ned  determined  to 
steer  for  the  nearest  shore.  He  therefore  directed  the 
course  due  west,  in  the  hope  of  reaching  the  African  coast 
within  about  fifty  or  sixty  miles.  The  wind  being  light 
was  extremely  favorable,  as  the  sea  was  smooth,  and  the 
steady  pressure  upon  the  sail  propelled  the  raft  at  about 
three  miles  an  hour.  Although  this  appeared  tedious,  Ned 
computed  that  twenty  hours  of  even  progress  would  bring 
them  to  the  land,  and  he  only  trusted  in  the  continuance  of 
the  breeze. 

The  raft  was  well  supplied :  they  had  about  eighty  gal 
lons  of  water,  which  would  last  twenty  days  at  a  fair  con 
sumption  for  three,  including  that  required  for  cooking. 
They  had  a  large  quantity  (about  150  pounds)  of  salt  beef, 
three  turtles,  and  some  hundred  eggs.  Thus  there  was  no 
fear  of  starvation,  and  the  only  danger  rested  in  foul  weath 
er.  Ned  arranged  that  one  should  sleep  while  the  other 
steered  in  alternate  watches  of  four  hours,  thus  neither 
would  be  fatigued. 

It  was  about  seven  A.M.  when  the  raft  fairly  cleared  the 
coral  island,  and  as  she  insensibly  glided  along  the  water 
they  soon  lost  sight  of  the  wreck  of  the  frigate,  and  then  of 
the  hospitable  but  dangerous  reef ;  around  them  was  the 
sea  horizon,  with  the  burning  sun  above.  While  Ned  had 
the  helm  Tim  placed  some  thickly-folded  sails  across  the 
chests  and  barrels,  and  creeping  into  the  shade  beneath  he 
soon  fell  fast  asleep.  At  the  expiration  of  the  watch  he  re 
lieved  Ned,  who  in  his  turn  crept  into  the  snug  shade  and 
slept  till  three  P.M.,  when  he  once  more  took  the  helm. 

The  evening  came,  and  with  it  the  same  cloudless  sky 
and  the  bright  stars.  At  length  the  moon  rose,  and  contin 
ued  with  them  throughout  the  night,  and  the  wind  blew 
steadily,  but  a  little  fresher  than  before  ;  the  water  rippled 


234  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

as  the  raft  increased  its  speed.  Nothing  could  be  more 
beautiful  than  the  night ;  they  floated  quietly  on  as  though 
in  a  dream,  and  the  placid  sea  glistened  tranquilly  in  the 
moonlight,  and  looked  as  though  it  must  forever  rest  in 
peace. 

As  Ned  stood  at  the  helm  alone,  and  his  faithful  compan 
ion  and  his  dog  sleeping  side  by  side,  he  looked  steadfastly 
at  the  heavens  and  their  countless  revolving  worlds,  and 
with  a  heart  overflowing  with  gratitude  he  fervently  thank 
ed  the  Almighty  Creator  for  the  preservation  of 'his  life, 
and  prayed  for  His  help  and  guidance  in  the  unknown  path 
before  him.  The  breeze  blew  steadily  and  fresh,  and  the 
night  passed  away ;  the  raft  had  never  altered  her  course 
from  the  west ;  once  more  it  was  Ned's  turn  at  the  helm 
before  the  sun  rose. 

A  haze  from  the  sea  covered  the  horizon;  the  morning 
was  gray,  and  the  first  red  streaks  shone  low  upon  the 
eastern  sky  ;  the  wind  was  faint,  and  the  raft  moved  slow 
ly  forward.  The  morn  grew  lighter,  and  soon  the  crimson 
flashes  in  the  east  turned  to  a  golden  blaze  as  the  sun  rose 
glorious  from  its  ocean  bed  awakened  for  the  day.  The 
haze  dissolved  as  the  warmth  increased,  and  clear  and  blue 
the  long  wished-for  scene  burst  upon  Ned's  view.  "  Land  !" 
he  shouted.  Tim  sprang  from  his  hard  couch  at  the  start 
ling  sound,  and  Nero  too  rose,  and,  although  ignorant  of 
the  cause,  the  dog  shared  the  enthusiasm  of  his  master. 

Apparently  not  far  distant  were  lofty  mountains,  the 
outlines  of  which  were  sharply  defined  upon  the  sky  as  the 
sun  shone  vividly  upon  them.  Within  six  miles  of  the  raft 
the  shore  was  distinctly  visible ;  unfortunately,  at  this  mo 
ment  it  fell  calm,  and  the  sail  hung  listlessly  upon  the  mast 
at  the  very  time  when  they  longed  for  a  brisk  breeze  to 
conclude  their  voyage.  Ned  determined  to  lighten  the  raft 
and  to  paddle  her  forward  with  oars;  accordingly,  they 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  235 

threw  overboard  the  sand  and  fire-wood,  together  with  a 
quantity  of  the  salt  beef,  also  one  of  the  heavy  chests ;  this 
made  a  great  difference  in  the  buoyancy  of  the  vessel.  The 
water  was  the  heaviest  portion  of  the  cargo,  but  this  they 
dare  not  waste,  as  there  might  be  no  supply  on  shore. 
"  Throw  over  some  more  beef,"  cried  Ned ;  "  we  have  three 
turtles,  and  biscuits  enough  to  last  a  couple  of  months." 

Tim  looked  wistfully  at  the  good  beef,  as  one  by  one  he 
threw  the  large  pieces  overboard. 

"  Dat's  enuff,  Massa  Ned,"  said  he ;  "  don't  trow  all  de 
good  meat  away :  'pose  we  get  hungry  one  day,  eh  ?" 

"  Suppose  the  wind  should  change  and  blow  off  the  shore 
before  we  land,"  replied  Ned,  "  what  will  become  of  us  ? 
We  must  lighten  the  raft  as  much  as  possible ;  throw  all 
the  beef  overboard  except  half  a  dozen  pieces ;  then  heave 
the  heavy  chest  away  likewise." 

Tim  obeyed  the  order  in  exceedingly  low  spirits,  and 
being  of  a  careful  disposition,  and  deeply  interested  in  the 
commissariat  arrangements,  he  pushed  the  large  chest  over 
board  first,  after  he  had  emptied  the  contents,  and  then  he 
reluctantly  threw  another  piece  of  beef  into  the  clear  water. 
Hardly  had  the  joint  splashed  into  the  sea,  when  a  dull 
cloud-like  appearance  was  seen  in  the  deep  water  close  to 
the  raft ;  this  became  more  dense,  until  a  distinct  and  huge 
brown  object  rose  rapidly  to  the  surface,  and  turning  upon 
its  side,  a  long  white  belly  was  exposed  as  it  opened  its 
huge  jaws  and  swallowed  the  piece  of  beef  that  Tim  had 
just  thrown  overboard.  It  was  an  enormous  shark,  and  as 
the  water  was  as  clear  as  crystal  it  could  be  distinguished 
as  minutely  as  though  it  were  in  a  glass  case  as  a  specimen 
— the  long  scimiter-shaped  back  fin  frequently  protruded 
above  the  surface  as  it  swam  fearlessly  and  apparently  lazily 
around  the  raft,  with  its  large  white  eyes  gleaming  as  it 
hunted  for  fresh  prey. 


236  CAST    UP  BY    THE  SEA. 

"  Oh  my  eye,  Massa  Ned !"  cried  Tim,  "  dere's  a  big 
shark  been  and  swallered  de  beef !  Tank  God  Tim's  not 
de  beef  I" 

"  Shoot  him  with  one  of  the  muskets,"  cried  Ned,  who 
was  at  the  helm,  and  on  the  instant  Tim  snatched  a  loaded 
musket  from  the  chest  in  which  they  were  stowed,  but  upon 
second  thoughts  he  laid  it  down,  and  diving  among  the 
miscellaneous  articles  in  the  carpenter's  tool-box,  he  quickly 
produced  a  large  shark-hook  about  sixteen  inches  long;  a 
chain  of  about  two  feet  in  length  was  already  attached  with 
a  swivel,  and  Tim  with  great  quickness  fastened  it  to  a 
rope. 

Having  prepared  his  tackle  within  a  couple  of  minutes, 
he  now  stuck  a  fat  and  tempting  piece  of  beef  upon  the 
hook  ;  but  the  shark  had  disappeared ! 

"  Why  didn't  you  shoot  him  as  I  told  you  ?"  asked  Ned ; 
"  now  we've  lost  him  !" 

Tim  replied  by  throwing  his  large  bait  far  into  the  water, 
and  the  fat  beef  could  be  distinctly  seen  deep  below  as  it 
hung  about  four  fathoms  beneath  the  surface. 

"  He'll  come  again,  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim,  "  don't  be 
'frald — if  he  see  Tim  take  a  swirn,  de  shark  come  catch  him 
quick,  I  knows :  now  Tim  catch  de  shark.  I  seed  him  when 
he  swim  round  de  raft,  winked  his  big  eyes,  he  thought 
'  Dere's  Tim,  like  to  swaller  'im  !'  ]tf ow,  Massa  Ned,  wait 
a  little,  see  Tim  swaller  de  shark." 

As  Tim  gave  this  little  programme  of  the  entertainment 
he  slowly  drew  in  the  line,  and  as  the  piece  of  white  beef 
came  near  the  surface  several  small  fish  striped  like  perch, 
of  about  two  pounds'  weight,  followed  the  bait,  which  hav 
ing  smelt,  they  darted  away  as  though  afraid.  "  Ha,  ha !" 
exclaimed  Tim,  "  his  little  f  rens  gone  to  tell  him  Tim  cook 
ed  de  beef  ready ;  now  de  shark  won't  be  long  !" 

Tim  was  well  up  in  shark-fishing,  as  he  had  seen  many 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  237 

caught;  and  as  he  saw  the  arrival  of  the  pilot-fish  that  al 
most  invariably  accompany  the  shark  he  was  not  wrong  in 
expecting  its  return.  In  a  short  time  the  monster  issued 
from  directly  beneath  the  raft  where  he  had  most  probably 
been  concealed,  and  swimming  slowly  toward  the  bait  he 
first  smelt  it,  then  with  a  quick  and  sudden  turn  he  bolted 
it,  together  with  the  hook  and  chain,  and  dashed  off  into 
the  deep  water. 

"  Ha,  ha !"  roared  Tim,  "  now's  got  it  tight !  now  Tim 
s waller  de  shark  !"  at  the  same  time  he  allowed  the  rope  to 
run  from  the  coil  on  deck  until  about  eighty  yards  had  been 
expended ;  then,  as  the  fish  had  halted  and  turned,  he  drew 
in  some  slack  line,  with  which  he  took  a  turn  round  the 
base  of  the  mast ;  after  this  he  drew  in  line  hand  over  hand 
until  he  felt  a  tug  that  would  have  pulled  Tim  overboard 
had  he  been  unprepared,  and  away  dashed  the  shark  once 
more.  This  time  Tim  was  determined  to  make  him  work 
for  his  line,  and  having  grasped  the  rope  between  a  portion 
of  a  sail  to  prevent  it  from  chafing  his  hands,  he  held  on 
with  all  his  might,  and  merely  allowed  it  to  slip  through 
his  grasp  as  he  felt  himself  compelled. 

The  fish^was  not  many  feet  shorter  than  the  raft,  and  as 
he  ran  out  the  entire  length  of  line  that  Tim  had  fastened 
to  the  mast  he  now  dragged  the  raft  slowly  along  in  what 
ever  direction  he  chose  to  take.  As  it  was  perfectly  calm 
Ned  left  the  helm  and  came  to  Tim's  assistance,  and  the 
two  strong  lads  of  sixteen  gave  the  shark  some  trouble,  as 
they  hauled  together  on  the  line  with  all  their  might.  At 
times  they  were  obliged  to  let  the  fish  run,  until  once  more 
it  had  regained  the  full  extent  of  the  rope ;  but  as  the  raft 
acted  as  a  buoy  against  which  the  shark  had  to  pull,  it  be 
came  exhausted,  and  the  united  strength  of  Ned  and  Tim 
at  length  prevailed. 

For  about  half  an  hour  the  struggle  had  continued,  when 


238  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

having  hauled  in  the  greater  portion  of  the  line,  the  shark 
was  seen  within  ten  yards  of  the  raft;  it  still  persisted  in 
keeping  in  the  depths  ;  but  as  the  two  lads  were  equally  de 
termined  that  it  should  come  to  the  surface,  they  hauled 
away  with  such  vigor  that  by  degrees  the  immense  creature 
was  secured  by  a  short  rope,  and  it  lashed  about  in  the  rage 
of  its  capture  within  a  few  feet  of  the  raft.  Ned  now  pre 
pared  a  bow-line  which  he  threw  over  the  shark,  and  slip 
ping  it  cleverly  over  the  tail,  he  drew  the  noose  tight,  and 
fastened  the  line  to  the  stern  of  the  raft. 

"  Now,  Tim,  give  me  a  musket,"  cried  Ned,  as  he  tied 
the  knot,  "  and  I'll  finish  him  off." 

In  an  instant  Tim  handed  the  musket,  and  Ned  went  to 
the  centre  of  the  raft  to  obtain  as  close  a  shot  as  possible 
at  the  nape  of  the  neck,  if  we  may  so  describe  that  portion 
of  a  shark  where  the  first  vertebra  of  the  spine  is  connect 
ed  with  the  head.  Taking  a  steady  shot  at  a  moment  when 
the  fish  was  quiet,  Ned  fired,  and  the  shark  gave  a  convul 
sive  shudder,  and  then  stiffened  like  a  log  of  timber,  as 
every  muscle  strained  in  the  pang  of  death ;  the  ball  had 
divided  the  spine  at  its  junction  with  the  brain. 

Ned  and  Tim  now  surveyed  their  prize  in  triumph  as  it 
lay  by  the  side  of  the  raft ;  it  was  about  seventeen  feet  in 
length,  and  so  heavy  as  to  be  perfectly  unmanageable.  Tim 
proposed  that  they  should  cut  off  as  much  as  they  required 
for  food,  and  then  let  the  carcass  adrift.  Ned  did  not  see 
the  force  of  the  argument:  as  they  had  just  thrown  the 
beef  overboard  to  lighten  the  raft,  why  should  they  ex 
change  weight  for  weight  ?  They  were  thus  arguing  the 
question,  when  an  event  occurred  which  relieved  them  from 
the  difficulty.  As  Ned  looked  toward  the  shore,  which  ap 
peared  much  nearer,  as  a  current  had  taken  them  closer  to 
the  land,  he  was  surprised  to  see  hurrying  toward  them  six 
canoes,  which  he  had  not  before  observed,  as  he  had  been 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  239 

so  busily  engaged  in  the  capture  of  the  shark;  they  were 
about  a  mile  distant,  and  there  could  be  no  question  that 
the  raft  was  the  object  of  their  attention. 

Although  both  Ned  and  Tim  expected  assistance  upon 
arrival  on  the  shore,  they  were  somewhat  disturbed  at  the 
appearance  of  so  many  canoes,  and  they  immediately  held 
a  council  of  war.  Tim  was  as  brave  as  a  lion,  and  was 
ready  for  a  fight  should  Ned  only  give  the  word ;  but  the 
latter  wisely  considered  that  fighting  should  only  be  resort 
ed  to  in  the  last  extremity.  They  were  utterly  helpless, 
unless  they  could  make  friends  ;  therefore  it  was  of  the  first 
importance  that  they  should  establish  amicable  relations 
with  the  natives.  Having  well  considered  their  position, 
Ned  determined  to  load  all  the  muskets,  and  be  prepared 
for  a  resolute  defense  should  it  be  necessary ;  at  the  same 
time  he  cautioned  Tim  that  he  should  avoid  all  chances  of 
dispute.  The  muskets  and  double-barrelled  guns  were 
quickly  in  order;  spare  ammunition  was  arranged  so  that 
it  would  be  immediately  at  hand,  and  Ned  loaded  Jem  Ste- 
vens's  handsome  pistols,  which  he  at  once  stuck  in  his 
belt. 

The  canoes  approached  with  great  quickness,  and  with 
the  telescope  Ned  discovered  them  to  be  full  of  blacks. 

"  If  dey  real  niggers,  Massa  Ned,  we  make  'em  f rens," 
exclaimed  Tim.  "  Tim  knows  de  niggers  ;  fill  de  nigger's 
belly,  make  de  nigger  f  rens ;  dat's  de  trick  'xactly  !  Tim 
knows  !  fill  de  nigger's  belly  wid  de  shark  !  dat's  de  trick 
'xactly ;  niggers  dance  and  sing  when  dey  see  de  big  shark." 

There  was  much  truth  in  Tim's  philosophy. 


240  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

canoes,  quickly  paddled  by  a  number  of  men,  near- 
-*-  ed  the  raft,  which  still  lay  helplessly  becalmed.  As 
the  leading  boat  approached  within  a  hundred  yards  both 
Ned  and  Tim  made  signs  of  friendship,  and  as  the  latter 
was  as  black  as  themselves,  the  negroes  no  longer  hesitated 
to  come  alongside.  Tim  now  called  to  them  in  his  own 
language,  which  they  did  not  appear  to  understand,  but  a 
email  amount  of  pantomime  quickly  explained  the  capture 
of  the  shark,  and  as  they  caught  sight  of  the  huge  fish 
floating  in  the  water,  they  paddled  rapidly  to  the  raft. 

Without  a  moment's  hesitation  many  leaped  on  board, 
and,  hardly  noticing  Ned  or  Tim,  they  seized  upon  the 
shark,  and  with  their  sharp  lances,  which  they  used  as 
knives,  they  at  once  began  to  separate  the  flesh  from  the 
bones.  There  was  a  third  party,  however,  who  had  no  idea 
of  submission  to  this  sudden  invasion  of  the  raft ;  this  was 
Nero,  who,  having  bristled  up  his  back  at  the  rude  intru 
sion,  presently  fastened  his  teeth  in  the  naked  thigh  of  a 
savage  who  had  roughly  run  against  him.  In  an  instant 
the  negroes  sprang  back  to  their  canoes  in  fear,  as,  never 
having  seen  a  powerful  Newfoundland  dog,  they  had  no 
idea  that  Nero  belonged  to  the  race,  and  they  regarded 
him  as  a  ferocious  animal. 

At  this  sudden  retreat  Tim  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter, 
while  Nero  barked  his  loudest  at  the  discomfited  blacks 
until  he  was  quieted  by  Ned.  Tim's  merriment  quickly 
restored  confidence,  but  not  a  negro  would  again  venture 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  241 

upon  the  raft,  and  they  set  to  work  in  earnest  upon  the 
shark  from  their  canoes. 

In  a  much  shorter  time  than  could  be  imagined  they  had 
divided  the  flesh  into  large  pieces,  which  were  distributed 
among  the  canoes ;  these  were  heavily  laden :  then  cutting 
off  the  head  for  the  sake  of  the  teeth,  which  they  prized  as 
ornaments,  they  allowed  the  bones  to  sink,  and  taking  the 
raft  in  tow,  they  paddled  to  the  shore  in  high  spirits,  sing 
ing  and  chattering  in  delight  at  the  prey  they  had  unex 
pectedly  gained. 

A  heavy  surf  drove  upon  some  reefs  that  protected  the 
land,  but  the  canoes  avoided  the  danger  by  passing  through 
an  opening  which  presently  led  them  into  still  water ;  this 
narrow  bay  ran  inland  for  a  considerable  distance,  and  was 
surrounded  upon  all  sides  by  dense  groves  of  cocoa-nut 
palms. 

The  water  was  beautifully  clear,  and  as  Ned  looked  over 
the  side  he  could  distinctly  see  the  bottom  at  a  depth  of 
about  twenty  feet ;  this  was  a  mass  of  coral,  and  the  low 
shore  around  appeared  to  be  of  the  same  peculiar  forma 
tion  ;  it  had  become  covered  with  a  poor  sandy  soil,  upon 
which  the  cocoa-nut  palm  invariably  thrives. 

The  canoes  towed  the  raft  for  about  half  a  mile  along 
this  lovely  inlet,  until,  bending  to  the  left,  a  small  village  of 
circular  huts  was  observed  close  to  the  water's  edge,  be 
neath  the  shade  of  the  cocoa  palms ;  to  this  spot  the  ca 
noes  slowly  paddled,  as  the  raft  was  heavy,  and  they  were 
themselves  deeply  laden. 

A  long,  shrill,  tremulous  cry  was  now  raised  by  a  crowd 
of  women  who  stood  upon  the  bank  to  welcome  them,  and 
as  the  canoes  touched  the  shore  many  sprang  into  the  wa 
ter  and  assisted  to  unload  them,  which  they  completed  with 
wonderful  quickness,  and  laid  the  masses  of  fish  upon  a 
row  of  neat  palm  mats,  which  had  been  immediately  pre- 

L 


242  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

pared.  As  the  women  were  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a 
small  ornament,  composed  of  fringe  and  cowrie-shells  that 
formed  a  short  apron  from  the  hips,  they  could  move  with 
great  activity,  and  they  took  to  the  water  and  washed 
themselves  like  amphibious  animals  after  they  had  arranged 
the  oily  fish  upon  the  mats.  They  would  now  have  un 
loaded  the  raft  had  not  Nero  barked  angrily  *as  they  ap 
proached,  which  sent  them  hurrying  back  amid  the  laughter 
of  the  crowd  of  men,  who  had  been  similarly  repelled  when 
they  first  boarded  from  their  canoes.  » 

Ned  and  Nero,  the  white  boy  and  the  black  dog,  were 
now  the  objects  of  the  women's  curiosity.  As  Nero  could 
protect  the  raft,  that  was  now  moored  to  a  palm-tree  close 
to  the  shore,  Ned  jumped  on  land  and  took  his  seat  beneath 
a  shady  tree,  at  the  same  time  he  made  signs  to  the  crowd 
that  they  should  sit  down.  At  this  moment  a  girl  brought 
him  a  new  mat,  neatly  woven  with  the  split  leaves  of  palms, 
upon  which  he  was  requested  to  sit  instead  of  on  the  bare 
ground.  He  now  attempted  to  explain  by  signs  and  gest 
ures  the  shipwreck  and  their  escape.  The  chief  now  ap 
peared  ;  he  was  a  gray-headed  old  man,  of  a  tall  and  com 
manding  figure.  Upon  his  arrival  Ned  rose  from  his  seat 
and  offered  him  his  hand,  but  instead  of  receiving  it  accord 
ing  to  European  custom,  he  took  both  his  hands  and  raised 
them  three  times  above  his  head  as  the  native  form  of  wel 
come  ;  he  then  made  a  sign  that  Ned  should  resume  his  seat, 
upon  which  he  also  sat  down  upon  a  leopard-skin  that  one 
of  his  followers  carried  for  that  purpose.  Once  more  Ned 
was  obliged  to  go  through  the  pantomime  that  he  had  al 
ready  performed,  to  explain  the  accident  that  had  befallen 
them ;  in  this  he  was  assisted  by  a  number  of  volunteers, 
who  conceived  that  they  had  understood  the  story :  accord 
ingly  they  broke  in  upon  the  conversation  as  interpreters, 
and  concluded  by  a  general  chaos  of  noise  and  confusion. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  243 

The  palaver  ended  by  the  old  chief's  expressing  a  wish 
to  examine  the  raft :  accordingly  Nero  was  whistled  for  by 
Ned,  and  as  he  came  bounding  toward  him  the  whole  crowd 
took  to  their  heels  in  a  general  panic.  The  old  chief  had 
followed  the  example ;  but  being  at  length  reassured  as 
Ned  fastened  the  dog  to  a  tree,  he  ventured  on  board  the 
raft  with  a  few  of  his  people,  the  rest  of  the  crowd  obeying 
his  orders  by  keeping  at  a  respectful  distance.  Ned  ex 
hibited  the  various  articles  that  he  had  saved  from  the 
wreck,  but  nothing  pleased  the  old  chief  so  much  as  the 
sailcloth,  of  which  he  immediately  begged  a  portion.  A 
large  sail  was  at  once  presented  to  him,  which  he  order 
ed  to  be  carried  to  his  hut.  It  was  now  proposed  by  the 
chief  that  the  raft  should  be  unloaded,  and  the  stores  ar 
ranged  within  a  hut  set  apart  for  that  purpose,  while 
another  dwelling  should  be  prepared  for  Ned  and  Tim. 
There  could  be  no  objection  to  this ;  as  the  two  lads  were 
entirely  in  the  power  of  the  natives,  the  best  policy  was 
lo  secure  the  chief's  good-will,  therefore  Ned  at  once  ac 
ceded  to  the  proposal.  A  number  of  men  were  called, 
and  the  process  of  discharging  cargo  was  quickly  accom 
plished. 

Two  huts  were  set  apart  for  Ned  and  Tim  with  their 
effects,  in  one  of  which  the  heavy  luggage  was  stowed, 
while  the  tool-chest,  ammunition,  and  Jem  Stevens's  box 
were  placed  in  Ned's  own  hut,  together  with  the  guns. 

Ned's  hut  was  exceedingly  pretty.  Like  all  the  others 
it  was  circular,  and  about  fifteen  feet  in  diameter ;  the  walls 
were  formed  of  large  bamboos  neatly  fixed  together  like 
the  pipes  of  an  organ;  the  inside  was  smeared  with  a 
mixture  of  clay  and  cowdung,  with  which  the  floor  was 
thickly  cemented,  and  the  roof  was  built  of  a  frame-work 
of  bamboos  neatly  thatched  with  plaited  palm -leaves. 
Around  the  two  huts  was  an  inclosed  garden,  in  which 


244  VAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

were  gourds  and  water-melons  of  different  descriptions: 
these  climbed  as  creepers  over  the  high  bamboo  fence  by 
which  the  little  garden  was  inclosed  on  three  sides,  while 
the  fourth  was  protected  by  the  water,  as  the  hut  stood 
within  a  few  yards  of  the  margin.  Although  there  was 
no  view  behind  the  hut,  owing  to  the  height  of  the  inclos- 
ure,  the  greater  portion  of  the  inlet  could  be  seen  from  the 
front,  from  a  beautiful  position  beneath  a  thick  clump  of 
palms  which  produced  a  delightful  shade. 

Ned  was  well  satisfied  with  their  reception,  and  both  he 
and  Tim  busied  themselves  in  arranging  their  only  room. 
A  sail  was  spread  upon  the  floor,  upon  which  were  laid  two 
sleeping-mats ;  beneath  these  the  women  placed  a  quantity 
of  palm-leaves  stripped  from  the  stalks,  which  formed  clean 
and  comfortable  beds.  The  large  chests  served  for  both 
chairs  and  table,  and  as  bamboos  were  plentiful,  Ned  soon 
contrived  a  neat  gun-rack,  against  which  he  placed  a  row  of 
loaded  muskets  and  the  two  double-barrelled  guns.  Pegs 
were  then  driven  into  the  wall  in  many  places,  upon  which 
were  hung  pistols  and  cutlasses,  with  the  shark-hook,  har 
poon,  and  a  variety  of  objects. 

After  a  couple  of  hours'  work,  the  hut  was  converted 
into  a  comfortable  home.  Tim,  true  to  his  occupation,  ar 
ranged  his  cooking  utensils  in  the  other  hut,  where  he  con 
structed  two  simple  fire-places,  by  cutting  a  trench  in  the 
floor  about  six  inches  deep,  to  create  the  draught,  on  either 
side  of  which  he  placed  some  blocks  of  coral  to  support  his 
pots. 

Two  of  the  turtles  were  secured  by  a  rope  to  one  fin,  and 
were  then  allowed  to  enjoy  themselves  in  the  water,  while 
the  third  was  killed  for  the  day's  consumption ;  a  portion 
of  this  was  sent  as  a  present  to  the  old  chief. 

Tim's  original  proverb  of  "  fill  de  nigger's  belly,  make 
de  nigger  frens,"  was  proved  to  be  correct.  There  was 


CAST    UP  BY   THE   SEA.  245 

great  feasting  in  the  village ;  pots  were  boiling  in  all  direc 
tions  filled  with  shark's  flesh  and  pumpkin,  and  the  natives 
were  in  the  best  of  humors,  and  had  taken  a  great  fancy  to 
the  new-comers.  The  women  and  girls  were  much  struck 
with  Ned's  handsome  appearance :  his  rich  fair  hair  and 
blue  eyes  had  been  discussed  by  a  crowd  of  admiring  ladies, 
who  had  already  declared  that  he  must  become  a  member 
of  their  tribe.  Tim  was  also  a  favorite ;  his  good-humor 
and  fearless,  straightforward  manner  had  at  once  gained 
their  confidence ;  and  the  fact  that  the  two  lads  unassisted 
had  been  able  to  capture  so  large  a  shark  was  in  itself  the 
best  introduction  to  a  people  who  held  all  hunting  exploits 
in  the  highest  estimation. 

It  was  their  first  night  on  shore,  and  Tim's  turtle-soup 
and  boiled  beef  were  nearly  ready  for  dinner.  He  had  cut 
the  under-shell  of  the  turtle  into  small  pieces,  which  is  the 
most  delicate  portion  when  well  boiled ;  this  had  been  sim 
mering  for  some  hours,  together  with  the  green  fat  and  a 
few  of  the  turtle's  eggs.  A  quantity  of  red  chilis  grew  in 
the  garden :  he  had  accordingly  added  sufficient  of  these 
hot  peppers,  with  salt,  and  a  species  of  wild  thyme,  with 
the  peel  and  juice  of  small  ripe  lemons,  that  grew  in  profu 
sion  around  the  village.  There  were  few  better  dishes  than 
Tim's  turtle-soup  when  it  appeared  on  table  in  a  large 
gourd  shell,  steaming  hot.  They  had  no  spoons ;  but  Ned 
had  strolled  along  the  shore  before  dinner,  and  had  collect 
ed  some  long  mussel-shells,  which  were  admirable  substi 
tutes,  and  far  more  beautiful  than  silver.  Ned  had  also 
scooped  out  some  cocoa-nuts,  and  had  converted  them  into 
drinking-cups.  That  night  they  mixed  a  little  rum  which 
they  had  saved  from  the  wreck  with  cool  water  and  fresh 
lime-juice,  together  with  some  honey  which  the  chief  had 
presented  to  them,  and  in  this  impromptu  punch  Ned  silent 
ly  drank  the  healths  of  all  those  left  at  home. 


246  CAST   UP  13  Y   THE  SEA. 

When  the  moon  rose  the  natives  were  sitting  round  their 
fires  revelling  in  the  feast,  and  the  night  was  subsequently 
employed  in  singing  and  dancing,  with  a  beating  of  drums, 
blowing  of  horns,  and  the  usual  wild  sounds  that  accom 
pany  savage  festivities. 

Several  weeks  passed  away,  during  which  Ned  employed 
himself,  with  Tim's  assistance,  in  perfecting  his  dwelling 
and  arranging  the  gardens,  while  his  leisure  hours  were  de 
voted  to  fishing  in  one  of  the  native  canoes,  and  in  shooting 
the  wild  fowl  that  swarmed  upon  a  small  lake  within  a  mile 
of  the  coast.  In  all  these  excursions  he  was  generally  suc 
cessful,  and  the  return  of  his  boat  was  eagerly  looked  for 
ward  to  by  the  negroes,  who  had  learned  to  regard  him 
with  much  respect,  especially  as  he  supplied  their  wants 
and  added  to  their  commissariat.  As  time  flew  on  Ned 
gained  so  high  'a  position  in  the  estimation  of  the  old  chief 
that  he  determined  to  give  him  one  of  his  daughters  in 
marriage ;  and  as  matrimonial  arrangements  in  those  coun 
tries  are  reduced  to  the  most  practical  simplicity,  Ned  was 
one  evening  astonished,  while  sitting  in  his  garden  by  the 
sea,  upon  observing  a  crowd  of  women,  who  advanced  to 
ward  him  raising  the  loud  and  thrilling  cry  that  is  used 
upon  all  joyful  occasions.  They  led  a  pretty  young  negress 
of  about  fourteen.  As  they  approached  two  of  the  women 
brought  her  in  advance  of  the  crowd,  who  had  now  sat 
down,  and  upon  arrival  before  Ned  they  took  both  his 
hands  and  placed  them  within  those  of  the  young  girl,  after 
wrhich  they  again  raised  their  disagreeable  cry,  and  the  girl 
took  her  seat  upon  a  mat  by  Ned's  side,  who,  not  having 
received  any  warning  of  the  intended  ceremony,  was  at  a 
loss  to  understand  its  meaning.  A  loud  burst  of  laughter 
from  Tim  attracted  his  attention,  and  Tim's  mirth  having 
in  some  degree  subsided,  he  explained  to  Ned  that  this  was 
the  marriage  ceremony  of  his  own  country,  and  common 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  247 

among  many  tribes :  thus  the  young  negress,  who  was  the 
chief's  daughter,  was  now  his  wife. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  express  Ned's  astonishment 
and  confusion  when  the  girl  suddenly  rose,  and  throwing 
her  arms  round  his  neck,  she  half  smothered  him  with  her 
embrace.  This  was  too  much  for  Tim,  who  once  more 
burst  into  a  fit  of  merriment,  at  the  same  time  he  exclaim 
ed,  "  Now  Massa  Ned  got  de  nigger  wife,  wot  Massa  Ned's 
moder  say  when  take  her  home  ?  Ha,  ha !"  continued  Tim, 
"  why  de  chief  not  send  Tim  one  wife  ?  ah1  for  Massa  Ned, 
noting  for  poor  Tim ;  'cos  he's  black  he  get  noting — nigger 
don't  like  de  nigger !" 

This  was  great  fun  for  Tim,  but  very  unpleasant  for  Ned, 
and  he  quickly  found  out  the  truth  of  the  saying,  that  "  it 
is  much  easier  to  get  married  than  to  get  rmmarried." 
Determined,  however,  that  he  would  not  be  led  like  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  he  now  rose  from  his  seat,  and  taking  the 
girl  by  the  hand  he  led  her  through  the  village  toward  her 
father's  hut,  accompanied  not  only  by  the  women  who  had 
brought  her,  but  by  a  great  crowd,  who  followed  them  with 
the  usual  yelling  to  the  old  chief's  dwelling. 

Upon  arrival  at  his  hut  the  old  man  was  found  busily 
engaged  in  deciding  a  controversy  between  two  of  his  peo 
ple,  but  upon  seeing  the  approaching  crowd,  headed  by  Ned 
and  Tim,  he  immediately  directed  his  attention  to  the  depu 
tation.  Tim  endeavored  to  act  as  interpreter,  but  to  no  pur 
pose;  then  Ned  attempted  an  explanation,  which  was  so 
imperfectly  understood  that  the  chief  imagined  Ned  was 
not  satisfied  with  his  daughter's  personal  attractions. 

"  Ah  !"  he  at  length  exclaimed,  as  an  idea  struck  him  as 
to  the  real  cause, "  you  do  not  like  Fernina ;  you  shall  have 
the  ox-eyed  Bokha  instead.  Here,  Bokha !"  he  cried  ;  and 
almost  immediately  a  large-eyed,  handsome  girl  approached 
from  a  neighboring  hut. 


248  VAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

"  Go  to  the  white  man  and  take  his  hand,"  said  the  chief ; 
"  and  you,  Fernina,  go  to  your  hut,  he  don't  like  you."  But 
the  latter  had  no  idea  of  yielding  her  claims  so  easily,  and 
she  clung  to  Ned  with  a  determination  not  to  forsake  her 
prize.  At  the  same  time  the  ox-eyed  Bokha  seized  his 
hand,  and  Ned  was  fairly  captured  by  the  swarthy  beauties, 
who  at  once  commenced  to  quarrel  for  his  possession.  The 
women  of  the  crowd  now  interfered ;  some  took  the  part 
of  Fernina,  others  sided  with  Bokha,  until  the  argument 
grew  so  hot  that  they  proceeded  to  blows,  and  the  authority 
of  the  old  chief  was  obliged  to  be  exercised  without  delay 
to  quell  the  riot.  "  Silence  !"  he  cried,  in  a  loud  and  com 
manding  voice,  and  at  once  the  tumult  ceased,  and  the  chief, 
who  was  a  Solomon  in  his  way,  addressed  them. 

"  Women,"  he  said,  "  the  white  man  declines  Fernina,  but 
on  the  other  hand  she  desires  the  white  man :  he  would  pre 
fer  the  ox-eyed  Bokha,  she  also  desires  the  white  man  of  the 
yellow  hair ;  do  not  quarrel  among  yourselves,  for  I  have 
decided  that  he  shall  have  them  both,  thus  all  parties  will 
be  satisfied." 

Upon  this  judgment,  delivered  by  their  chief,  a  prolonged 
yell  of  satisfaction  was  raised  by  the  crowd  of  women,  in 
which  the  men  also  joined,  and  the  two  young  girls,  now 
rendered  happy,  held  the  unwilling  Ned  by  each  hand. 
Never  did  a  marriage  tie  appear  more  binding  than  when 
he  thus  stood  in  the  firm  grasp  of  his  would-be  wives.  It 
was  in  vain  that  he  endeavored  to  offer  an  explanation :  not 
one  word  was  understood,  until  Tim  once  more  came  for 
ward  and  apparently  cleared  the  mystery,  as  the  old  chief 
drew  a  long  breath,  and  having  obtained  silence,  he  ex 
claimed,  "  Ha,  now  I  understand ;  at  length  I  understand  ! 
The  black  lad  also  demands  a  wife !  he  shall  have  one. 
Call  Goolah  of  the  thick  lips  !" 

Almost  immediately  a  fat,  unwieldy  girl,  whose  name  of 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  249 

the  "  thick  lips  "  was  thoroughly  deserved,  was  led  forward 
by  two  women  to  be  presented.  This  was  more  than  the 
patience  of  Ned  could  bear  ;  a  third  offering  had  now  been 
added,  although  he  had  waited  upon  the  king  to  decline  the 
first ;  he  therefore  led  his  two  lady  candidates  to  an  empty 
hut,  and  made  signs  that  they  should  enter,  which  they  im 
mediately  did.  "  Goolah  of  the  thick  lips  "  was  then  re 
quested  to  follow,  and  when  all  the  three  were  within  Ned 
closed  the  door,  against  which  he  placed  with  Tim's  assist 
ance  an  immense  block  of  coral.  The  wives  were  prisoners, 
and  Ned,  with  unmistakable  pantomime,  explained  to  the  old 
chief  that  they  should  remain  in  that  hut,  but  that  he  would 
not  accept  them.  Annoyed  with  the  savage  hospitality, 
Ned  then  hastily  withdrew,  and  accompanied  by  Tim  he  re 
turned  to  his  own  hut  amid  the  silence  and  astonishment 
of  the  crowd. 

Some  weeks  had  passed  since  this  memorable  occasion, 
and  Ned  had  observed  that  the  chief  and  also  his  people 
had  much  changed  in  their  demeanor  toward  him  ;  they  no 
longer  came  to  sit  and  stare  at  him  in  crowds,  neither  did 
the  chief  visit  him  as  he  had  done  before,  but  he  was  evi 
dently  regarded  with  suspicion;  in  fact,  it  could  not  be 
otherwise,  as  he  had  declined  the  offer  of  friendship  that 
had  been  made  by  the  old  chief  in  presenting  him  with  his 
daughters  as  wives.  The  women  had  taken  a  great  dislike 
to  him,  as  their  vanity  had  been  injured  by  his  refusal  to 
belong  to  the  tribe  through  marriage. 

Under  these  circumstances  Ned  thought  that  it  would 
be  advisable,  if  possible,  to  escape  from  the  negro  hospitali- 
•  ty  and  march  to  Zanzibar,  where  the  Portuguese  had  a  set 
tlement,  whence  he  might  perhaps  obtain  a  passage  to  Eu 
rope  in  some  trading-vessel.  He  calculated  that  Zanzibar 
was  about  200  miles  distant ;  thus,  could  he  only  follow  the 
right  direction  by  compass,  he  should  be  able  to  reach  it  in 

L  2 


250  VAST    UP  JJY   THE  SEA. 

about  twenty  days.  Should  he  decide  upon  this  plan  it 
would  be  impossible  to  carry  any  thing  beyond  ammunition ; 
all  else  would  have  to  be  forsaken.  Tim  was  as  faithful  as 
the  dog  Nero ;  thus  all  was  quickly  agreed  upon,  and  it 
was  decided  that  if  possible  they  should  escape  on  the  fol 
lowing  day,  by  pretending  to  go  upon  a  shooting  excursion, 
from  which  they  would  not  return.  On  more  than  one  oc 
casion  Ned  had  requested  the  chief  to  supply  him  with  a 
guide  to  Zanzibar,  but  he  had  always  been  met  by  some 
frivolous  excuse,  after  he  had  been  asked,  "  why  he  wished 
to  desert  the  tribe  ?"  and  Ned  felt  that  although  external 
ly  civil,  it  had  been  inwardly  determined  that  he  should 
not  forsake  the  country  :  thus  he  was  merely  a  prisoner  un 
less  he  chose  to  enter  the  tribe  by  accepting  a  wife  from 
the  chief. 

Having  determined  to  act,  no  time  was  lost  in  making 
preparations  for  escape.  The  great  difficulty  lay  in  the 
lack  of  means  of  transport ;  but  Ned  was  not  to  be  beaten 
by  any  obstacle ;  thus  he  quickly  decided  upon  the  necessa 
ry  arrangements.  His  first  work  was  to  prepare  tw^o  roomy 
knapsacks,  which,  with  Tim's  assistance,  he  constructed  from 
a  piece  of  strong  tarpaulin  lined  with  canvas.  He  then 
formed  small  saddle-bags  of  the  same  material,  together 
with  a  soft  pad,  which  he  proposed  to  arrange  on  the  back 
of  Nero,  who  would  be  able  to  carry  twelve  pounds  with 
great  ease ;  thus  if  he  and  Tim  could  carry  forty  pounds 
each,  they  could  travel  with  ninety-two  pounds'  weight  of 
supplies. 

Great  management  would  be  necessary  in  the  arrange 
ment  of  the  luggage ;  accordingly  he  made  six  small  tarpau 
lin  bags,  into  each  of  which  he  packed  two  pounds  of  gun 
powder,  making  a  stock  of  twelve  pounds,  in  addition  to 
one  pound  each  that  he  and  Tim  were  to  carry  in  two  horns, 
which  he  had  fitted  for  that  purpose  when  the  last  ox  had 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  251 

been  killed  by  the  negroes.  When  the  bags  were  filled  he 
sewed  them  neatly  up,  and  rendered  the  seams  watertight 
by  smearing  them  with  the  thick  milk  of  the  India-rubber 
trees,  which  grew  in  great  abundance.  This  was  a  tree  of 
the  fig  tribe,  the  milk  of  which  exuded  in  large  quantities 
from  the  bark  when  incised ;  this  rapidly  evaporated,  and 
became  solid  India-rubber  when  smeared  upon  any  substance 
and  exposed  to  the  air,  thus  it  formed  an  excellent  water 
proof  packing  when  rubbed  repeatedly  upon  canvas. 

Having  thus  carefully  protected  the  gunpowder,  Ned  se 
lected  his  supplies  :  2  cutlasses ;  2  double-barrelled  guns, 
with  two  dozen  spare  flints ;  2  brace  of  pistols ;  2  knives ; 
1  cooking-pot;  20  pounds  bullets, and  12  pounds  gunpow 
der;  10  pounds  shot ;  2  steels  for  striking  fire  ;  1  axe  and  2 
files,  and  a  number  of  fish-hooks  and  lines ;  2  pairs  of  shoes ; 
1  change  of  clothes  for  himself,  in  addition  to  others  for 
Tim ;  a  case,  containing  sextant,  telescope,  compass,  artifi 
cial  horizon  and  nautical  almanac,  with  paper,  pencil,  etc. ; 
a  few  medicines,  with  two  gourd  bottles  of  rum,  and  about 
twelve  pounds  of  biscuits. 

These  stores  were  divided  equally  between  himself  and 
Tim,  while  Nero  carried  a  portion  of  the  bullets,  and  a  sup 
ply  of  biscuits  for  his  own  use. 

It  was  on  a  bright  moonlight  night  that  Ned  had  deter 
mined  to  start.  At  about  1  A.M.,  when  the  people  of  the  vil 
lage  were  asleep,  Ned  strapped  the  small  saddle-packs  upon 
Nero,  and  with  knapsacks  upon  their  backs  and  double- 
barrelled  guns  in  their  hands,  he  and  Tim  forsook  the  com 
fortable  hut,  and  struck  into  the  depths  of  the  forest.  They 
marched  till  daylight  upon  a  narrow  footway  that  resem 
bled  the  run  of  sheep.  This  was  already  well  known  to 
them  for  a  distance  of  about  six  miles,  as  they  had  often 
travelled  upon  the  route  during  their  shooting  excursions, 
but  beyond  that  limit  all  was  unexplored.  When  day  broke 


252  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Ned  found  himself  in  a  dense  forest,  where  giant  trees  rose 
to  the  height  of  upward  of  a  hundred  feet,  springing  from  a 
thick  and  tangled  underwood,  through  which  it  would  have 
been  impossible  to  penetrate  except  by  the  narrow  path  al 
ready  mentioned.  They  had  marched  five  hours  when  the 
sun  rose  at  six  o'clock ;  thus  Ned  calculated  that  they  had 
made  fifteen  miles :  he  accordingly  determined  to  push  on 
until  eight  at  the  same  rate  of  three  miles  per  hour. 

The  night  had  been  cool,  and  they  had  marched  almost 
without  fatigue  until  sunrise,  but  the  last  two  hours  had 
been  extremely  hot,  and  Ned  was  thankful  when  he  sudden 
ly  arrived  on  the  banks  of  a  clear  stream  that  rippled  over 
a  bed  of  pebbles  between  two  overhanging  cliffs.  It  was  a 
lovely  spot,  shaded  by  the  dark  foliage  of  the  tamarind-trees 
that  grew  in  the  deep  clefts  among  the  rocks,  and  Ned  had 
no  sooner  arrived  than  he  unstrapped  Nero's  load,  and  quick 
ly  throwing  off  his  own  clothes  he  plunged  into  a  pool  of 
cool  water  that  formed  a  natural  basin  in  the  river's  bed. 
The  dog  followed  his  master,  together  with  Tim,  and  all 
revelled  in  the  luxury  of  the  morning  bath. 

After  bathing  Ned  arranged  the  packs  upon  some  bare 
rocks  beneath  the  shade  of  a  large  tamarind-tree,  and  all  be 
ing  extremely  hungry  he  looked  despairingly  at  the  bag  of 
biscuits  which  formed  their  scanty  fare.  Tim  had  already 
lighted  a  fire,  although  there  was  nothing  to  cook,  when  Ned 
suddenly  listened  to  a  distant  sound,  and,  jumping  up,  he 
took  his  gun,  which  he  loaded  with  shot  instead  of  ball,  and 
started  along  the  bed  of  the  stream  in  quest  of  guinea-fowl 
that  he  had  heard  cackling  in  the  distance.  He  was  follow 
ed  by  Nero,  and  after  a  rough  scramble  among  the  rocks  in 
the  bed  of  the  winding  stream  he  arrived  close  to  the  sound. 
As  he  carefully  turned  a  corner  in  the  river  he  observed  a 
large  number  of  guinea-fowl  sitting  close  together  upon  the 
branches  of  a  tree,  from  which  they  kept  up  an  incessant 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  253 

cackling  at  a  falcon  which,  having  captured  one  of  their 
party,  was  now  eagerly  devouring  its  prey  upon  a  high  rock 
above  the  stream.  Creeping  through  the  bushes  while  the 
attention  of  the  guinea-fowl  was  attracted  by  the  falcon, 
Ned  arrived  unseen  within  thirty  yards  of  the  tree,  and  aim 
ing  at  the  centre  of  the  flock  he  fired.  To  his  delight  five 
birds  fell  to  the  ground,  one  of  which  being  only  winged 
would  have  escaped  in  the  thick  bushes  had  not  Nero  at 
once  secured  it ;  they  were  in  exceedingly  good  condition, 
and  as  Ned  felt  their  fat  breasts  with  satisfaction,  he  tied 
their  legs  together  with  a  strip  of  tough  bark,  which  he  tore 
from  the  stem  of  a  mimosa,  and  then  joyfully  returned  to 
breakfast.  They  had  now  sufficient  for  the  evening,  as  the 
birds  were  so  large  that  even  their  appetites  could  hardly 
manage  two  for  breakfast ;  therefore  the  pot  was  placed 
upon  the  fire,  and  two  were  boiled,  while  three  were  stuck 
upon  spits  for  roasting.  Tim  was  a  good  hand  at  jungle 
cookery ;  thus  he  placed  a  straight  bamboo  across  two  fork 
ed  sticks  which  rested  in  the  ground  close  to  the  fire; 
against  this  he  laid  his  spits,  with  one  end  fixed  in  the  earth ; 
these  he  occasionally  turned  when  they  required  it,  and  in 
about  forty  minutes  the  fowls  were  beautifully  roasted. 
Breakfast  was  ready.  They  wisely  determined  to  eat  the 
boiled  fowls  and  to  carry  the  roast  upon  the  afternoon 
march,  as  they  would  better  support  the  heat  of  the  journey. 
A  few  biscuits  stewed  up  with  the  soup  of  the  boiled  fowls, 
together  with  the  bones  left  from  breakfast,  afforded  Nero 
a  hearty  meal,  and  both  Ned  and  Tim  lay  down  beneath  a 
shady  tree,  against  the  stem  of  which  they  placed  their  guns. 
In  a  short  time  the  whole  party,  including  the  dog,  were 
sound  asleep. 

They  had  slept  for  about  four  hours  when  Ned  was  sud 
denly  awoke  by  a  low  growl  from  Nero,  and  sitting  up  he 
saw  the  dog  rush  into  the  jungle  and  bark  furiously  at  some 


254  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA, 

object  unseen ;  but  almost  at  the  same  instant  Ned  felt  him 
self  seized  from  behind,  and  before  he  had  time  to  offer  the 
slightest  resistance,  or  even  to  discover  the  cause  of  attack, 
his  arms  were  firmly  bound,  and  he  was  entirely  helpless. 
Tim  had  been  secured  in  the  same  manner.  A  loud  yell 
was  now  raised,  and  Ned  was  surrounded  with  a  party  of 
naked  savages  armed  with  spears  and  bows.  Nero  upon 
hearing  the  noise  came  bounding  back  from  the  man  whom 
he  had  attacked  in  the  jungle,  and  seeing  Ned  he  immedi 
ately  took  his  stand  by  his  side. 

All  this  happened  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  that  Ned 
could  hardly  believe  his  eyes  :  but  putting  a  bold  face  upon 
the  matter,  he  smiled  as  the  leader  of  the  party  confronted 
him,  at  the  same  time  he  made  signs  that  the  twisted  palm- 
leaves  that  confined  his  arms  caused  him  much  pain.  This 
man  was  an  immensely  powerful  negro,  with  a  ferocious  ex 
pression  of  countenance,  but  upon  seeing  Ned  smile  he  ex 
amined  him  closely  with  surprise ;  he  then  looked  at  the 
dog  and  at  Tim,  as  though  completely  puzzled  at  the  na 
ture  of  his  prisoners.  In  the  mean  time  Nero  was  growling 
fiercely,  although  restrained  from  attack  by  Ned's  voice. 

Having  satisfied  himself  that  the  party  consisted  of  only 
two  persons  and  the  dog,  the  negro  chief  gave  an  order  to 
his  men,  who  at  once  prepared  two  long  forked  sticks,  about 
the  thickness  of  a  man's  arm.  In  a  few  minutes  Ned  found 
his  neck  firmly  secured  in  the  fork  by  means  of  a  cross- 
piece  of  wood  that  was  lashed  across  the  points.  Tim  was 
fettered  in  a  similar  manner ;  a  rope  was  then  attached  to 
the  extremity  of  the  handle,  and  thus  led  by  two  powerful 
negroes,  both  Ned  and  Tim  found  themselves  in  the  pos 
session  of  a  gang  of  slave-hunters.  Without  further  delay 
several  men  took  possession  of  the  guns,  knapsacks,  and  va 
rious  effects  that  lay  upon  the  ground,  and  they  marched 
rapidly  forward  for  about  an  hour,  until  they  arrived  at  a 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  255 

narrow  path  which  turned  to  the  west,  upon  which  they 
hurried  without  once  halting  until  nearly  sunset. 

Ned  was  suffering  severely  from,  thirst  and  fatigue ;  the 
heat  was  excessive,  and  upon  arrival  at  a  considerable  stream 
he  made  signs  to  the  man  who  led  him  that  he  wished  to 
drink.  At  that  moment  the  party  halted,  and  the  negro  de 
scended  to  the  river,  and  having  slaked  his  own  thirst,  he 
returned  with  a  large  gourd-shell  full  of  clear  water.  Nev 
er  had  Ned  enjoyed  a  draught  of  water  with  such  delight, 
and  he  drained  every  drop  from  the  gourd.  He  now  made 
signs  that  they  should  release  him  from  the  yoke,  and  that 
he  would  not  attempt  to  escape.  Upon  this  a  consultation 
was  held,  which  ended  by  the  approach  of  the  leader  of  the 
party,  who,  with  violent  threats  and  gesticulations,  explain 
ed  that,  should  Ned  attempt  to  desert,  he  would  be  imme 
diately  put  to  death.  He  then  drew  a  knife  from  a  sheath 
slung  upon  his  arm  above  the  left  elbow,  with  which  he  cut 
the  rope  that  secured  Ned's  neck  in  the  fork ;  at  the  same 
time  he  released  his  arms. 

Ned  was  so  stiff  that  he  could  scarcely  raise  his  hands 
to  his  forehead  in  gratitude  for  his  freedom ;  but  having 
performed  this  simple  act  of  courtesy  to  the  negro  chief, 
he  explained  by  signs  that  Tirn  also  should  be  released. 
Without  further  delay  Tim's  bonds  were  cut ;  at  the  same 
time  he  was  given  a  gourd  full  of  water.  Having  taken 
a  long  draught  Tim  stretched  his  stiffened  arms,  and  then 
rubbed  his  elbows  as  he  sat  down  by  the  side  of  Ned, 
who,  tired  out,  had  thrown  himself  at  full  length  upon  the 
ground. 

"  Dis  is  a  pretty  kettle  ob  fish,  Massa  Ned  !"  exclaimed 
Tim.  "  Pity  Massa  Ned  didn't  marry  all  de  ole  chief's 
gals  !  Now  we  run  away  we  got  into  bad  bus'ness.  Tim 
knows  dis  work  ;  not  de  fust  time  Tim  had  his  neck  in  de 
fork.  Dese  black  fellers  big  blackguards,  Massa  Ned; 


256  VAST    UP  BY    THE   SEA. 

catched  we  for  slaves.  Tim  knows  dis  work  ;  catched  Tim 
before  now." 

Tim's  former  experience  had  been  severely  practical, 
and  he  rightly  surmised  that  both  he  and  Ned  were  cap 
tured  for  the  purpose  of  being  sold  to  some  neighboring 
tribe ;  thus  they  might  be  handed  about  from  one  to  the 
other  as  slaves  for  the  remainder  of  their  existence.  At 
the  same  time,  when  he  had  reflected  upon  Ned's  want  of 
diplomacy  in  refusing  the  old  chief's  daughters,  he  in  no 
way  faltered  in  his  allegiance,  as  he  was  thoroughly  pre 
pared  to  suffer  any  misery  so  long  as  he  could  share  the  lot 
of  his  young  master ;  but  it  was  Ned's  misfortune  that  he 
regretted. 

"  Do  you  think  they  mean  to  sell  us,  Tim  ?"  asked  Ned. 

"  Yes,  Massa  Ned,  pr'aps  sell  Tim  to  one  man ;  sell 
Massa  Ned  to  anoder." 

"  Brutes  !"  exclaimed  Ned,  "  this  slave-trade  is,  indeed, 
an  accursed  traffic !" 

"  Yes,  Massa  Ned,"  rejoined  Tim,  "  very  bad  bus'ness — 
almost  bad  like  King  George's  bus'ness." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Tim  ?"  asked  Ned. 

"  I  say,"  replied  the  practical  Tim,  "  de  black  nigger  fel 
lers  almost  bad  as  de  press  -  gang  fellers,  only  not  quite. 
King  George's  fellers  steal  de  boys  to  let  de  Frenchmen 
shoot  'em ;  de  black  niggers  steal  'em,  make  'em  do  de 
work :  press-gang  more  bad,  take  de  white  slaves  let  de 
Frenchmen  kill  'em." 

Ned  would  not  question  Tim's  logic.  There  was  no 
doubt  of  their  situation ;  the  tribes  were  at  perpetual  war 
fare  with  each  other  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  slaves, 
some  of  which  were  exchanged  for  ivory  with  distant 
countries,  while  others  were  transported  to  Zanzibar,  which 
was  the  great  Portuguese  depot  for  the  trade.  One  fact 
was  clear,  that  it  was  necessary  to  find  favor  in  the  eyes  of 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  25V 

their  captors,  and  to  trust  in  Providence  for  their  future 
guidance.  Determined  upon  this  policy,  although  stiff  and 
tired,  Ned  rose  from  the  ground,  and  assisted  the  party  in 
collecting  wood  for  the  night  fires  that  were  necessary  to 
protect  them  from  wild  animals.  There  was  a  large  quan 
tity  of  fallen  timber  in  the  forest,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
united  efforts  of  the  people  had  collected  numerous  trunks 
and  branches  of  dead  trees,  which  were  arranged  in  several 
piles.  All  being  completed,  a  negro  commenced  the  tedious 
operation  of  producing  fire  by  the  friction  of  two  pieces  of 
wood.  He  first  procured  a  stick,  in  which  he  cut  a  notch ; 
he  then  selected  a  piece  of  straight  and  dry  wood  about  as 
thick  as  the  little  finger;  this  he  sharpened  to  a  point, 
which  he  inserted  in  the  notch,  and  holding  this  firmly  upon 
the  ground  with  his  toes,  he  rapidly  twirled  the  upper  stick 
between  the  palms  of  his  hands,  so  that  the  point  revolved 
within  the  notch  as  though  it  were  a  drill.  In  about  three 
minutes  it  began  to  smoke,  but  as  the  success  in  producing 
fire  by  this  method  depends  upon  the  quality  of  the  wood, 
much  labor  was  vainly  expended,  and  the  friction  brought 
no  spark,  as  the  wood  was  of  the  wrong  kind.  Ned  imme 
diately  produced  a  flint  and  steel  from  his  pocket  with  a 
piece  of  tinder  formed  of  canvas :  with  this  he  at  once 
struck  a  light,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  natives,  who 
crowded  round  him  to  witness  the  extraordinary  operation. 
For  at  least  ten  minutes  he  was  obliged  to  continue  the 
performance  of  producing  a  shower  of  sparks  by  the  blow 
of  the  flint  and  steel,  to  the  intense  delight  of  the  natives, 
who  vainly  attempted  it,  but  only  succeeded  in  knocking 
the  skin  off  their  knuckles. 

It  was  nearly  dark,  and  the  forest  appeared  in  deep 
gloom  as  the  pile  of  dry  wood  blazed  brightly  and  illumined 
the  trees  upon  the  bank  of  the  river  where  the  party  had 
bivouacked.  The  chief,  accompanied  by  one  of  his  men, 


258  CAST    UP  BY'  THE  SEA. 

had  been  some  time  absent  in  a  search  for  wild  yams,  whic?i 
abounded  in  the  forest,  and  climbed  like  gigantic  convol- 
vuli  around  the  stems  of  the  trees.  Tim  had  already  placed 
his  pot  upon  the  fire,  and  the  water  was  boiling,  in  expecta 
tion  of  the  supply  of  vegetables,  when  suddenly  a  loud 
shriek  was  heard  in  the  dense  wood  at  no  great  distance/ 
This  was  almost  immediately  succeeded  by  a  terrific  roar : 
another  loud  cry  of  alarm  was  heard,  and  all  the  men  rush 
ed  to  their  arms,  crying, "  The  lion  !  the  lion  !" 

In  an  instant  Ned  seized  the  gun  loaded  with  ball,  and 
without  the  slightest  hesitation  he  rushed  toward  the  spot 
through  the  thick  bushes,  followed  by  Nero  and  the  entire 
party.  In  the  excitement  of  the  moment  his  stiffness  and 
fatigue  had  vanished,  and  he  dashed  forward  with  a  speed 
that  was  hardly  equalled  even  by  the  naked  negroes  who 
accompanied  him.  In  less  than  a  minute  they  heard  a 
rush  in  the  jungle  before  them.  Ned  immediately  cocked 
his  gun,  but  in  that  instant  the  figure  of  the  powerful  negro 
chief  appeared,  flying  toward  them  as  he  shouted  the  dread 
ed  name, "  The  lion  !" 

A  loud  roaring  and  growling  was  now  distinctly  heard 
within  a  hundred  paces  of  them,  and  the  negroes  hesitated 
to  advance.  Ned  resolutely  pushed  forward,  followed  by 
Tim  and  Nero ;  and  presently  the  dog,  who  had  heard  the 
terrible  sound,  dashed  from  his  master's  side,  and  rushing 
toward  the  spot  was  heard  barking  loudly  at  the  lion.  In 
a  few  moments  Ned  arrived  at  a  small  open  glade  in  the 
middle  of  the  forest,  in  which  to  his  horror  he  saw  the  lion 
upon  the  body  of  a  man  whom  he  had  seized  by  the  throat, 
while  Nero  stood  within  a  few  yards  baying  him  furiously. 
Upon  Ned's  arrival  in  the  open  spot  the  lion  angrily  shook 
the  neck  of  the  man  as  a  dog  would  shake  a  rat,  and  then 
slowly  dragged  the  body  toward  the  thick  bush.  Ned 
rushed  forward,  and  stood  within  ten  paces  of  the  immense 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  261 

brute,  who,  seeing  himself  thus  challenged,  turned,  and  re 
leasing  his  hold  on  the  neck  of  his  victim,  he  placed  one  of 
his  paws  upon  the  chest,  and  crouched  upon  the  ground, 
facing  and  glaring  upon  his  unexpected  adversary.  At  this 
moment  Nero  sprang  toward  him  and  barked  loudly ;  this 
diverted  his  attention,  and  the  lion  turned  his  shaggy  head 
toward  the  dog.  Profiting  by  the  opportunity,  Ned  took  a 
steady  aim  at  the  temple,  a  little  in  front  of  the  ear,  and 
fired. 

At  the  report  of  the  gun  the  lion  rolled  over  upon  his 
back,  and  convulsively  stretched  out  his  prodigious  paws, 
which  trembled  in  the  palsy  of  death,  as  the  ball  had  pass 
ed  through  his  brain.  Hardly  had  the  smoke  cleared  when 
Nero  rushed  in  and  seized  the  lion  by  his  hairy  throat,  which 
he  shook  and  tore  in  desperate  fury,  at  the  same  time  he 
received  a  deep  scratch  from  one  of  the  claws  that  contract 
ed  in  the  death  struggle. 

At  the  report  of  the  gun  the  natives  had  rushed  back  in 
terror,  but  now  that  they  witnessed  its  effect  they  crowded 
around  Ned,  and  taking  his  hand  they  kissed  the  palm  and 
embraced  him  after  their  fashion,  by  raising  both  his  hands 
three  times  above  his  head.  The  ferocious-looking  negro, 
who  was  their  chief,  also  drew  near  in  the  ecstasy  of  the 
moment,  and  throwing  up  his  arms,  he  shouted  an  address 
of  admiration,  which  was  succeeded  by  a  loud  yell  of  praise 
from  all  present.  The  dead  body  of  the  negro  who  had 
been  killed  was  then  drawn  upon  one  side,  and  left  for  the 
beasts  of  prey  that  would  devour  it  during  the  night,  while 
with  exciting  shouts  of  victory  the  negroes  dragged  the 
lion  through  the  forest,  and  laid  it  by  the  night  fire  that 
was  brightly  blazing  at  the  place  of  bivouac. 

It  appeared  that  the  chief  and  the  deceased  negro  were 
returning  from  their  search  after  yams,  when  the  lion  sud 
denly  sprang  upon  them  from  the  thick  jungle,  and  seizing 


262  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

the  man  by  the  throat,  he  quickly  strangled  him.  The  chief 
had  thrown  his  spear  without  effect,  as  it  had  glanced  from 
the  stem  of  a  tree ;  he  had  then  shouted  for  help ;  which 
had  been  so  quickly  and  courageously  given  by  Ned. 

For  several  hours  after  the  moon  rose  the  conversation 
continued  upon  the  recent  event,  and  there  was  a  general 
feeling  of  astonishment  and  admiration  at  Ned's  courage 
and  the  power  of  the  gun.  Nero  also  shared  in  the  praise, 
as  the  negroes  were  delighted  that  the  dog  hud  flown  so 
directly  at  the  lion's  throat  when  the  fatal  shot  was  fired. 
While  the  exciting  topic  was  discussed  by  the  blazing  fires 
the  heroes  of  the  night,  Ned,  Tim,  and  Nero,  were  stretch 
ed  upon  some  dry  grass  fast  asleep,  tired  out  with  the  long 
day's  march ;  they  had  gone  supperless  to  rest,  as  sleep 
was  more  desired  than  food  ;  in  the  mean  time  the  natives, 
having  carefully  skinned  their  late  enemy,  made  use  of  Tim's 
cooking-pot,  and  feasted  on  the  lion. 


CAST   UP  By    THE  SEA.  263 


CHAPTER  XV. 

FOR  several  weeks  following  the  recent  event  Ned's  cap 
tors  led  him  by  long  and  constant  marches  toward  the 
west,  but  since  his  gallant  behavior  in  the  encounter  with  the 
lion,  he  had  been  kindly  treated ;  both  he  and  Tim  were  al 
lowed  to  march  free,  and,  moreover,  they  were  permitted 
to  carry  their  arms,  which  were  useless  to  the  natives. 
Hardly  a  day  had  passed  without  a  supply  of  meat,  as  the 
country  abounded  with  game,  and  Ned  had  killed  many 
large  antelopes  and  buffaloes  that  had  fed  the  entire  party. 
Thus  upon  Tim's  proverb,  "  Fill  de  nigger's  belly  make  de 
nigger  f rens,"  an  alliance  was  established  between  the  cap 
tors  and  their  prisoners  that  was  exceedingly  favorable  to 
the  latter. 

After  a  march  of  three  weeks,  during  which  Ned  calcu 
lated  that  they  had  travelled  320  miles  due  west,  they  ar 
rived  in  an  elevated  country,  where  the  temperature  was 
much  cooler  than  any  to  which  they  had  been  accustomed. 
For  several  days  they  continued  to  ascend  immense  slopes 
of  waving  grass  lands,  interspersed  with  clumps  of  mimo 
sas,  whose  dark  green  tops  were  an  attraction  for  large 
herds  of  beautiful  giraffes ;  it  was  the  first  time  that  Ned 
had  seen  these  stately  animals,  and  as  he  sat  upon  a  high 
rock  during  a  halt  upon  the  march  he  looked  down  with 
admiration  on  the  beautiful  country  before  him.  As  far  as 
the  eye  could  reach  were  undulating  plains  ornamented  with 
trees,  while  lofty  mountains  formed  a  dark  blue  chain  in 
the  distance,  and  abrupt  rocky  hills  rising  here  and  there 


264  .CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

broke  the  monotony  of  the  vast  prairie.  Animals  of  great 
variety  and  numbers  gave  life  to  the  scene ;  herds  of  beau 
tiful  zebras  galloped  over  the  plain  when  disturbed ;  ostrich 
es  stalked  proudly  upon  a  carpet  of  bright  green  turf,  which 
afforded  pasturage  for  thousands  of  antelopes  and  buffaloes 
that  were  scattered  in  large  troops  throughout  the  land 
scape. 

The  first  rains  had  commenced,  thus  all  was  verdant ; 
but  the  march  was  drawing  to  a  close,  as  the  rainy  season 
was  unfavorable  for  travelling. 

Another  week  was  passed  in  steady  progress  of  about 
fifteen  miles  per  day.  Every  night  Ned  took  his  latitude 
by  the  meridian  altitude  of  a  star,  and  as  the  natives  watch 
ed  him  communicating  (as  they  thought)  with  these  heav 
enly  bodies,  they  regarded  him  with  feelings  of  profound 
respect,  as  they  considered  that  he  had  brought  down  the 
recent  showers  that  had  so  refreshed  the  land.  Thus  he 
was  looked  upon  as  a  rain-maker — a  most  important  person 
age  throughout  the  interior  of  Africa.  Ned  found  that 
they  had  travelled  due  west,  as  they  had  seldom  diverged 
more  than  a  mile  north  or  south  of  the  same  parallel  of  lat 
itude  upon  which  they  had  first  started ;  therefore,  allowing 
fifteen  miles  per  day  in  a  direct  line  as  the  distance  march 
ed,  he  knew  by  this  dead  reckoning  his  approximate  posi 
tion. 

It  was  on  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  marching  that  a  scene 
burst  upon  Ned's  view  that  almost  repaid  him  for  the  fa 
tigues  of  the  long  journey.  During  the  morning  they  had 
passed  through  a  more  than  usually  populated  country,  and 
by  ten  o'clock  they  were  near  the  summit  of  a  hill,  to  which 
the  negroes  pointed  as  the  end  of  their  pilgrimage.  Upon 
several  occasions  the  guides  had  endeavored  to  explain 
something  important  connected  with  this  day,  and  they  now 
quickened  their  pace  as  they  approached  the  brow  of  the 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  265 

steep  slope,  the  negroes  still  pointing  before  them  as  though 
something  extraordinary  would  be  seen.  The  path  now 
wound  through  a  narrow  rocky  gorge  that  cleft  the  summit 
of  the  hill ;  passing  through  this  cleft,  overhung  with  beau 
tiful  trees  and  climbing  plants,  a  magnificent  scene  burst 
suddenly  upon  them.  Ned  stood  for  a  few  moments  rivet- 
ted  to  the  spot.  He  looked  down  from  a  height  of  about 
a  thousand  feet  upon  a  vast  inland  sea,  which  sparkled  in 
the  sunshine  like  a  valley  of  diamonds  as  every  ripple  on 
the  surface  reflected  the  bright  rays.  On  the  western  side 
of  the  lake  a  clear  blue  outline  cut  the  sky,  as  a  range  of 
lofty  mountains  walled  in  the  mass  of  waters ;  while  from 
the  spot  on  which  Ned  stood  the  ground  sloped  in  rapid 
undulations  of  green  turf,  ornamented  with  numerous  forest 
trees.  Upon  the  rich  pastures  were  innumerable  cattle, 
that  belonged  to  the  many  villages  that  were  scattered  at 
irregular  intervals  upon  the  slopes.  Some  of  these  dwell 
ings  appeared  to  be  within  a  few  yards  of  the  water's  edge, 
and  upon  the  beach  could  be  plainly  distinguished  rows  of 
canoes,  many  of  which  were  engaged  in  fishing,  but  upon 
none  could  Ned  perceive  a  sail. 

The  country  was  extremely  populous,  and  as  the  party 
now  rapidly  descended  the  hill  Ned  observed  that  every  vil 
lage  was  strongly  protected  by  stockades,  while  large  cattle 
kraals  were  erected  in  the  vicinity,  equally  fortified,  with 
the  addition  of  a  live  hedge  of  the  impenetrable  thorny 
cactus.  There  could  be  no  doubt  that  he  had  arrived  at  a 
place  of  great  importance,  as  he  had  seen  nothing  approach 
ing  to  the  wealth  of  this  country  throughout  the  long  march 
from  the  sea-coast,  and  Ned  felt  that  if  he  were  to  become 
a  slave  this  spot  would  most  probably  be  the  scene  of  his 
captivity.  As  this  thought  passed  through  his  mind  he 
observed  that  the  more  level  portions  of  the  ground  at  the 
bottom  of  the  valley  were  cultivated  with  various  crops, 

M 


260  CAST   UP 'BY  THE  SEA. 

which  as  he  descended  he  could  plainly  distinguish  to  be 
the  tall  millet  and  sweet  potatoes,  while  thick  groves  of 
bananas  surrounded  every  village,  and  afforded  both  fruit 
and  shade.  There  could  not  be  a  more  lovely  country ;  and 
Ned  congratulated  himself  that  his  lot  appeared  to  have 
fallen  in  pleasant  places,  when,  having  completed  the  de 
scent,  the  party  passed  through  a  large  field  of  millet  near 
ly  twice  the  height  of  a  man,  and  presently  entered  a  plan 
tation  of  bananas  upon  a  path  which  conducted  them  to 
the  gateway  of  the  principal  town. 

They  arrived  at  a  curious  archway  in  the  thick  stock 
ade.  This  was  formed  of  innumerable  sharp-pointed  boughs 
of  extremely  hard  wood,  so  closely  fixed  together,  and  ap 
parently  interlaced  with  their  points  outward,  that  it  was 
necessary  to  walk  exactly  in  the  middle  of  the  narrow  en 
trance,  which  would  only  permit  the  passage  of  men  in 
single  file.  This  peculiar  arrangement  was  to  prevent  a 
sudden  surprise  by  a  rush  of  men  in  a  large  body ;  and  to 
render  the  approach  still  more  difficult  there  was  a  turn  at 
right  angles  in  the  middle  of  the  sharp-pointed  passage, 
which  continued  for  a  distance  of  about  twenty  feet.  The 
stockade  fence  was  composed  of  a  double  row  of  large  trees, 
firmly  fixed  in  the  ground,  and  laced  together  with  bamboos 
interwoven  with  the  branches  of  the  hooked  thorn  mimosa, 
which  would  be  perfectly  impenetrable  to  any  naked  men, 
and  the  defense  might  be  considered  impregnable  unless 
destroyed  by  fire. 

It  was  through  this  fortified  work  that  the  party  now 
entered  the  town,  when  they  were  almost  immediately  met 
in  a  large  open  space  by  a  number  of  the  natives,  who  were 
lounging  beneath  the  shade  of  an  immense  tamarind-tree ; 
they  immediately  rose  and  surrounded  them  with  expres 
sions  of  much  curiosity  upon  seeing  Ned.  These  natives 
were  entirely  different  in  appearance  to  those  who  had  cap- 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  267 

lured  Ned  and  Tim ;  their  language  was  perfectly  unknown 
to  the  guides,  and  they  were  unable  to  converse  except  by 
signs  until  an  interpreter  could  be  found  who  had  lived  for 
some  time  among  the  other  tribe.  Suddenly  Tim  came 
forward,  and  listening  for  a  few  moments  with  intense 
eagerness  to  the  buzz  of  voices  in  the  crowd,  he  exclaimed 
to  Ned,  "  Dis  my  people !  dis  my  talk,  Massa  Ned !  Tim 
knows  de  talk !"  and  without  more  ado  he  spoke  fluently  to 
the  native  who  was  nearest  to  him. 

The  effect  of  this  was  extraordinary ;  Tim  was  at  once 
the  centre  of  attraction,  and  the  people  crowded  round  him 
to  hear  the  account  of  their  journey  and  capture  by  the 
band  who  had  led  them  thither.  The  crowd  increased,  and 
as  a  man  of  some  importance  appeared  they  were  at  once 
conducted  to  a  large  open  place  in  the  centre  of  the  town, 
where  they  were  brought  into  the  presence  of  the  chief  or 
king.  He  was  a  fine  man  of  about  forty,  and  was  seated 
upon  a  carpet  of  leopard  skins  beneath  the  shade  of  a  large 
banian-tree,  surrounded  by  many  of  his  people.  The  large 
crowd  that  followed  Ned  and  Tim  now  halted,  and  sat  down 
respectfully  at  some  distance,  while  the  two  strangers,  to 
gether  with  the  band  of  slave-hunters,  were  introduced  to 
the  king.  He  now  made  a  sign  to  a  negro  by  his  side,  who 
at  once  struck  a  large  drum  three  times,  with  slow  but 
heavy  beats.  The  effect  was  instantaneous ;  every  voice  in 
the  crowd  of  more  than  a  thousand  persons  was  hushed. 

Complete  silence  having  been  restored,  the  king  address 
ed  Ned  in  a  few  words,  desiring  the  entire  party  to  be 
seated,  and  to  explain  whence  and  for  what  purpose  they 
had  arrived. 

Tim  now  became  the  spokesman,  and  in  a  long  but  clear 
discourse  he  gave  an  account  of  the  shipwreck  and  their 
subsequent  journey ;  he  also  described  his  first  arrival  in 
England,  to  which  country  Ned  belonged. 


268  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

The  king  and  his  people  were  intensely  interested.  They 
had  never  heard  of  any  white  nation ;  and  he  at  once  re 
quested  to  know  whether  all  men  were  white  in  England, 
or  whether  Ned  was  an  exceptional  curiosity  ? 

Tim  gave  him  a  description  of  the  people,  and  the  im 
mense  power  of  the  country ;  at  the  same  time  he  endeavor 
ed  to  explain  the  nature  of  our  weapons,  and  he  at  once  ex 
hibited  his  gun. 

The  king  took  it  in  his  hands,  and  nodding  complacent 
ly,  as  though  he  thoroughly  understood  it,  he  placed  the 
muzzle  in  his  mouth,  and  pronounced  it  to  be  an  exceeding 
ly  inconvenient  form  of  tobacco-pipe.  As  the  gun  was 
loaded,  Tim  explained  the  danger  of  the  weapon,  and  as 
several  fowls  were  running  about  in  the  open  square  he  ask 
ed  permission  to  exhibit  the  effect.  At  about  thirty  yards' 
distance  he  fired  his  gun,  which  being  loaded  with  large 
shot  killed  three  fowls ;  he  then  quickly  fired  the  remain 
ing  barrel,  which  killed  two  more.  At  the  instant  of  the 
discharge  a  panic  seized  upon  the  crowd,  who,  having  never 
heard  a  gun,  were  terrified  at  the  report,  and  rushed  off  in 
all  directions,  falling  over  each  other  in  the  scramble  to  get 
away ;  as  the  first  shot  was  repeated  by  a  second,  they  ex 
pected  a  continuation  of  the  terrible  noise,  and  having  wit 
nessed  the  death  of  the  fowls  they  dreaded  a  similar  fate. 

Although  the  king  had  shared  in  the  panic,  he  had  re 
covered  his  self-possession  sufficiently  to  enable  him  to 
strike  the  drum,  at  the  sound  of  which  the  frightened  crowd 
resumed  their  seats,  while  Tim  explained  the  nature  of  the 
weapon  and  the  tremendous  power  of  gunpowder. 

Order  having  been  restored,  Tim  continued  his  discourse, 
and  explained  how  the  largest  animals  could  be  killed  by 
the  gun  as  instantaneously  as  the  fowls  that  had  been  just 
shot.  He  then  described  the  attack  of  the  lion  that  Ned 
had  destroyed  by  a  single  bullet,  at  the  mention  of  which  a 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  UEA.  269 

loud  murmur  of  applause  was  uttered  by  the  throng  of  lis 
teners. 

When  Tim  had  finished  his  narrative  he  wisely  con 
cluded  by  a  petition  to  the  king  for  assistance ;  he  described 
how  he  had  been  stolen  as  a  slave  when  a  child,  and  he  gave 
the  name  of  the  tribe  to  which  he  had  belonged.  Upon 
hearing  this  name  the  king  exclaimed  in  surprise,  as  the 
chief  of  that  country  was  his  great  ally,  and  his  principal 
town  was  situated  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  lal^e,  which  he 
described  as  ten  days'  journey  for  a  canoe,  or  about  250 
miles  to  the  west.  Thus  Tim  was  not  far  distant  from  his 
own  home. 

After  some  minutes'  reflection  the  king  spoke  to  his 
counsellors,  who  sat  at  his  feet,  and  at  once  gave  a  com 
mand  that  the  gang  of  slave-dealers  who  had  captured  Ned 
and  Tim  should  be  brought  before  him.  Through  the 
medium  of  an  interpreter  he  questioned  the  powerful  negro 
who  was  the  chief  of  the  party,  and  as  he  explained  that  he 
had  arrived  for  the  purpose  of  buying  slaves  in  exchange 
for  beads  and  brass  coil  bracelets,  the  king  offered  to  supply 
them  on  condition  that  he  should  receive  Ned  and  Tim  as 
presents,  together  with  all  their  effects.  The  parcels  that 
had  been  carried  by  the  slave-hunters  were  now  brought 
forward  and  examined.  Mats  were  spread  upon  the  ground, 
upon  which  large  piles  of  glittering  beads  of  all  colors  were 
laid;  these  were  sorted  into  numerous  small  heaps,  each  of 
which  was  supposed  to  represent  the  price  of  a  slave.  The 
brass  bracelets  were  next  produced ;  these  were  formed  of 
about  four  feet  of  wire,  of  the  thickness  of  a  drawing-pen 
cil,  twisted  into  a  coil  to  fit  the  arm  from  the  wrist  upward. 
One  of  these  highly-prized  ornaments  was  the  value  of  a 
female  slave.  After  much  bargaining,  during  which  a 
small  number  of  beads  was  added  to  each  pile,  and  a  couple 
of  bracelets  thrown  into  the  general  offer,  it  was  decided 


270  VAST    UP   UY   THE  HE  A. 

that  on  the  following  day  one  hundred  and  fifty  slaves 
should  be  delivered  to  the  leader  of  the  gang. 

The  meeting  was  broken  up,  and  Ned  was  shown  a  hut 
that  was  to  be  appropriated  by  him  and  Tim ;  the  crowd 
made  way  for  them,  as  Nero  growled  angrily  and  bristled 
up  his  back  when  intruded  upon  too  closely,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  ISTed  found  himself  in  possession  of  a  clean  circular 
dwelling  within  the  king's  private  court,  in  which  were 
numerous  huts  inclosed  within  a  ring  fence  of  palisades ; 
these  were  occupied  by  the  king's  wives,  and  by  other  mem 
bers  of  his  family,  who  now  iss-ued  from  their  doors  to  ex 
amine  the  new  arrivals.  There  was  nothing  remarkable  in 
Tim's  appearance  with  the  exception  of  his  clothes,  as  the 
only  difference  between  himself  and  the  natives  consisted 
in  their  nudity ;  the  men  had  not  a  vestige  of  clothing  be 
yond  a  scarf  of  tanned  antelope's  hide  that  was  fastened 
across  the  shoulders  and  hung  loosely  before  the  body ;  the 
women  wore  a  neat  apron  of  finely-plaited  twine  that  was 
span  from  the  fibre  of  the  wild  aloe. 

The  usual  thrilling  cry  of  welcome  was  raised  as  Ned 
and  Tim  were  led  to  their  hut.  It  was  exceedingly  clean, 
and  was  surrounded  by  a  court  neatly  cemented  with  a  hard 
coating  of  clay  and  cowdung,  which  is  general  throughout 
Africa.  The  view  was  extremely  beautiful,  as  the  front  of 
the  hut  commanded  the  lake,  which  was  about  a  quarter  of 
a  mile  distant ;  in  this  spot  it  appeared  to  be  about  twenty 
miles  in  width,  and  the  opposite  side  was  bordered  by  lofty 
hills  which  looked  a  rich  purple  in  the  distance.  Toward 
evening  several  slave-women  brought  a  large  circular  wood 
en  bowl  with  a  steaming  mixture  of  kid  stewed  with  sweet 
potatoes  and  bananas ;  this  was  exceedingly  hot  with  red 
pepper,  and  Ned  thought  it  almost  surpassed  Tim's  art  in 
cookery. 

"  Not  too  good,  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim,  who  was  jealous 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  271 

of  the  strangers'  success;  "too  plenty  pepper  got  in  de 
stoo.  E-e-che  !"  continued  Tim,  sneezing  violently,  but 
shamming,  "  bad  cook  dis  people ;  not  cook  like  me.  Tim 
knows  de  trick  'xactly." 

In  spite  of  this  criticism  Tim  eat  heartily,  and  by  the 
time  that  dinner  was  concluded  the  bowl  was  nearly  empty. 
The  boys  were  both  tired,  and  throwing  themselves  down 
upon  clean  mats,  they  slept  soundly. 

On  the  following  morning  before  sunrise  Ned  was 
awakened  by  the  loud  beating  of  drums  and  blowing  of 
horns,  and  upon  rising  hastily  he  was  surprised  to  see  a 
vast  crowd  of  people  assembled  in  the  king's  court,  headed 
by  himself  in  person,  who  came  to  summon  him  to  a  coun 
cil.  The  fact  was,  that  during  the  night  much  feasting  had 
been  going  on,  and  the  chief  of  the  gang  that  had  formerly 
captured  Ned  had  communicated  the  intelligence  to  the 
king  that  he  was  a  renowned  rain-maker ;  thus  Ned's  pres 
ence  among  the  tribe  would  be  of  inestimable  benefit  to  the 
country,  that  was  subject  to  severe  droughts.  He  had  de 
scribed  how  Ned  conversed  with  the  stars  and  moon,  and 
how  he  stared  at  the  sun  with  an  extraordinary  instrument, 
although  the  eyes  of  common  men  could  not  for  a  moment 
support  its  light.  He  also  repeated  the  account  of  the  con 
flict  with  the  lion,  and  he  declared  that  he  had  no  doubt 
that  Ned  possessed  the  power  of  magic.  As  the  king  was 
surrounded  by  many  of  his  people  when  this  description  was 
given  an  immense  excitement  wTas  created,  and  after  a  long 
consultation  it  was  determined  that  on  the  following  morn 
ing  the  king  and  his  people  should  visit  the  fair-haired  sor 
cerer,  and  request  him  to  perform  some  feat  of  sorcery. 
Ned  had  left  his  hut  to  meet  the  king,  and  Tim,  who  acted 
as  interpreter,  shortly  informed  him  of  the  object  of  the 
deputation. 

It  was  in  vain  that  Ned  declared  he  had  no  supernatural 


272  CAST    UP  BY   THE   SEA. 

power ;  the  more  that  he  protested,  the  firmer  was  their  be 
lief  ;  and  the  king  requested  to  examine  all  the  curious  articles 
that  he  possessed,  and  that  their  use  might  be  explained. 
Tim  at  once  unpacked  the  knapsacks  and  produced  the 
sextant,  which  the  king  declined  to  touch,  as  he  was  not 
sure  that  it  might  not  explode  like  the  gun  on  the  preced 
ing  day.  Ned  then  exhibited  the  compass :  this  perfectly 
delighted  him,  as  the  needle  followed  the  blade  of  a  knife 
which  'Ned  passed  around  it ;  the  king  wished  to  touch  the 
needle,  but  was  astonished  that  his  finger  could  not  reach  it 
on  account  of  the  glass  which  covered  the  surface  of  the  in 
strument.  This  was  a  matter  of  extreme  curiosity ;  glass 
was  unknown,  therefore  the  nature  of  the  obstruction  was 
not  understood.  The  needle  could  be  seen  but  not  touched, 
as  an  invisible  substance  protected  it  from  contact  with  the 
hand ;  this  was  handed  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  king's 
great  men,  and  at  once  declared  to  be  magic.  Among  oth 
ers  in  the  crowd  were  the  king's  sorcerers ;  these  were  old 
men  whose  heads  were  ornamented  with  chaplets  of  dried 
lizards  and  toads,  with  pieces  of  the  roots  of  certain  trees 
that  were  supposed  to  be  charms.  Around  their  necks 
were  long  necklaces  composed  of  entire  tortoise-shells  about 
three  inches  long,  together  with  crocodiles'  teeth,  lions' 
claws,  and  the  black  seeds  of  the  wild  plantain.  When  the 
compass  was  handed  to  them  they  at  once  declared  it  to  be 
a  spell,  and  advised  the  king  to  return  it  immediately  to 
the  owner. 

Ned  having  already  gained  the  reputation  of  a  magician, 
was  now  obliged  to  continue  a  performance  which,  tended 
to  increase  the  belief  in  his  power.  Pie  produced  the 
quicksilver  that  belonged  to  the  artificial  horizon ;  some  of 
this  he  poured  into  a  cocoa-nut  shell,  which  he  handed  to 
the  king,  and  requested  him  to  touch  it.  Both  the  king  and 
his  sorcerers  dipped  their  fingers  in  the  supposed  water 


CAST   UP  BY  THJS  SEA.  273 

without  being  able  to  wet  them ;  this  was  still  more  wonder 
ful  than  the  compass ;  the  shell  was  passed  from  one  to  the 
other,  while  each  attempted  to  moisten  the  tips  of  his  fingers 
which  he  carefully  examined  after  every  experiment.  At  last 
a  small  quantity  was  spilt  upon  the  ground,  which  forming 
into  numerous  globules,  afforded  general  amusement,  as  they 
vainly  attempted  to  secure  them  with  their  fingers  and 
thumbs.  The  mercury  was  at  once  declared  to  be  magic 
water  that  had  the  power  of  producing  rain. 

The  telescope  was  now  exhibited  and  its  use  explained. 
Ned  then  raised  it  to  his  eye,  and  directed  the  sight  to  a 
herd  of  cows  that  were  being  milked  at  some  distance. 
Upon  seeing  this  the  king  suddenly  snatched  it  from  him, 
and  begged  him  never  to  look  at  either  cows  or  goats  with 
such  an  instrument,  or  they  would  assuredly  lose  their  milk. 
Yielding  at  once  to  the  superstition,  Ned  requested  the 
king  to  observe  some  object  through  the  telescope.  This 
he  vainly  attempted,  and  his  example  having  been  followed 
by  his  sorcerers  with  the  same  want  of  success,  it  was  re 
turned  to  Ned  as  a,  magic  instrument  that  could  only  be 
used  by  himself.  Accordingly  Ned  unscrewed  the  large 
magnifyiug-glass,  and  as  the  sun  was  bright  he  requested 
the  king  to  stretch  forth  his  hand  ;  then  directing  the  focus 
of  the  burning-glass  upon  his  black  skin,  the  king  suddenly 
sprang  backward  with  the  pain.  Recovering  from  his  first 
surprise,  the  king  now  insisted  that  a  similar  experiment 
should  be  tried  upon  all  his  sorcerers,  as  their  charms  and 
spells,  if  potent,  should  protect  them  from  the  white  man's 
magic.  Each  offered  his  arm.  The  first  bore  the  pain  he 
roically  for  a  few  seconds  as  the  skin  burnt  and  smoked  in 
the  fire  of  the  sun's  focus :  he  could  then  support  it  no  long 
er,  and  he  suddenly  cried  out  and  quickly  withdrew  his  arm, 
which  was  severely  scorched.  One  by  one  each  sorcerer 
was  subjected  to  the  ordeal,  and  all  having  suffered  alike 

M2 


274  CAST   UP  JJY   THE  tiEA. 

the  king  declared  that  their  magic  was  inferior  to  that  of 
the  white  man,  and  that  they  were  useless  in  comparison 
with  him.  Ned  then  set  fire  with  the  glass  to  a  piece  of 
canvas  rubbed  with  gunpowder ;  this  was  handed  from  one 
to  the  other  with  admiration,  amid  general  exclamations  of 
delight  and  astonishment. 

"  What  are  they  saying,  Tim  ?"  asked  Ned. 

"  Dis  black  niggers  stoopid  people,  Massa  Ned,"  replied 
Tim  ;  "  dey  say  de  white  man  got  de  fire  in  one  eye  and  de 
water  in  de  odder  eye,  so  he  make  'em  fire  when  he  like, 
and  rain  when  he  please.  Dat's  all  right !"  continued  Tim. 
"  Tim  knows  de  niggers  ;  give  'em  little  'stonishment,  dat's 
de  right  trick  'xactly.  Now  de  black  king  make  Massa 
Ned  a  big  man." 

Perfectly  satisfied  with  the  treasure  he  had  gained  in 
Ned,  the  king  lost  no  time  in  collecting  the  one  hundred 
and  fifty  slaves  that  he  had  agreed  to  supply  to  the  negro 
dealer ;  he  at  once  gave  an  order  that  a  certain  refractory 
village  in  the  neighborhood  should  be  pillaged,  and  the  in 
habitants  sold  as  slaves.  Accordingly,  at  about  3  A.M.  on 
the  following  morning,  a  party  of  a  thousand  men  started 
by  moonlight  for  the  purpose  of  surprising  the  village  be 
fore  the  people  should  awake.  This  brutal  order  was  given 
because  the  headman  of  the  village  had  refused  to  pay  the 
customary  tribute.  A  little  before  daybreak  Ned  perceived 
the  flames  of  the  burning  huts,  as  the  fire  destroyed  the  in 
flammable  constructions  of  thatch  and  wood,  at  a  distance 
of  about  four  miles  from  the  principal  town.  The  king  was 
standing  in  his  own  court-yard  enjoying  the  scene  of  de 
struction,  and  in  a  few  hours  his  army  returned,  having  kill 
ed  many  of  the  men,  and  captured  several  hundred  women 
and  children  of  both  sexes.  These  unfortunate  people  were 
secured  in  a  living  chain,  tied  neck  to  neck  by  thongs  of 
hide ;  others  were  fastened  by  the  necks  in  forked  sticks, 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  275 

similar  to  those  in  which  Ned  and  Tim  had  been  confined 
when  first  taken  by  the  slave-gang.  Some  of  the  young 
girls  were  crying  bitterly ;  there  were  mothers  with  infants 
in  their  arms,  others  who  nad  lost  their  children  in  the  mas 
sacre,  and  many  children  who  had  seen  their  parents  ruth 
lessly  speared  before  their  eyes.  The  prisoners  were  now 
ranged  in  several  rows  in  the  large  inclosure  that  formed 
the  court,  after  which  they  were  inspected  by  the  negro 
slave-dealer,  who  selected  one  hundred  and  fifty  according 
to  the  bargain  he  had  made  with  the  king;  these  were 
taken  without  the  slightest  regard  to  the  relationship  of  the 
individuals.  An  infant  was  torn  from  the  arms  of  a  pretty 
young  mother,  while  she  was  led  away  with  the  lot  selected 
for  transportation,  without  the  smallest  attention  to  her 
cries  of  agony  at  the  separation  from  her  child.  Children 
of  twelve  and  fourteen  were  taken  sobbing  bitterly  from 
their  parents,  and  the  whip  of  hippopotamus  hide  descend 
ed  cruelly  upon  their  naked  shoulders  when  they  struggled 
to  remain  with  their  mothers,  from  whom  they  were  torn. 
At  length  the  requisite  number  was  complete,  and  the  band 
of  slave-dealers  that  had  brought  Ned  to  the  country  now 
commenced  their  return  march,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
slaves  to  supply  other  black  dealers,  who  would  conduct  them 
to  the  Portuguese  possessions  on  the  coast  near  Zanzibar. 

As  they  disappeared  from  the  town  the  remaining  slaves 
were  distributed  by  the  king  among  a  number  of  his  peo 
ple,  who  were  allowed  to  have  the  use  of  them  provided 
that  they  agreed  to  restore  them  or  others  in  their  stead 
whenever  they  might  be  required.  There  were  many  heart 
rending  scenes  as  they  saw  their  relatives  disappear  while 
they  were  themselves  divided  and  apportioned  to  strangers. 
Ned  looked  on  in  horror  at  the  infamous  traffic,  while  it 
recalled  to  Tim's  recollection  the  scene  of  his  first  day  of 
slavery. 


276  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

"  So  de  nigger  eat  de  nigger  !"  exclaimed  Tim,  philosoph 
ically.  "  Bad  fellers  dese  black  chaps,"  he  continued ; 
"  where  'spect  to  go  to  ?  eh  ?  God  shut  his  eye,  let  de  deb- 
bel  catch  de  nigger.  Pray  God  take  care  of  Tim." 

This  theological  sentiment  closed  the  melancholy  scene. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  277 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

C1EVERAL  months  passed  away,  and  with  them  the  rainy 
O  season  closed,  and  the  harvest  was  gathered  in.  The 
sun  now  resumed  its  sway,  the  clouds  had  given  place  to  a 
spotless  sky,  and  the  vivid  green  gradually  faded,  and  the 
country  parched  into  a  bright  yellow ;  the  smaller  streams 
all  dried  up,  and  even  the  great  lake  sank  a  few  feet  below 
the  former  level. 

It  was  now  the  season  for  hunting,  and  parties  were  or- 
ganized  for  killing  elephants  and  hippopotami,  the  flesh  of 
which  was  the  principal  food  of  the  people  ;  this  was  dried 
in  strips,  and  then  hung  up  in  the  smoke  of  their  cabins  in 
sufficient  quantities  to  last  for  many  months. 

The  harvest  of  meat  was  considered  almost  as  important 
as  that  of  corn ;  therefore  while  a  portion  of  the  men  and 
the  whole  of  the  women  were  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of 
their  fields,  those  who  were  most  active  and  courageous  form 
ed  bands  of  hunters  and  provided  a  supply  of  flesh.  To  be 
distinguished  for  exploits  in  the  hunting-grounds  was  con 
sidered  to  be  even  more  meritorious  than  acts  of  valor  on 
the  field  of  battle,  and  as  Ned  had  gained  a  great  reputation 
by  the  death  of  the  lion  he  was  expected  to  perform  prodi 
gies  in  the  chase  of  wild  animals.  Next  to  the  king  he  was 
already  the  greatest  man  in  the  country,  as  his  supposed 
power  in  magic  had  given  him  an  extraordinary  influence. 
Among  his  medicines  he  had  a  large  supply  of  caknnel  and 
emetic  tartar :  the  effect  of  these  drugs  upon  the  sick  had 
gained  him  much  repute,  and  his  success  as  a  physician  was 


278  CAST   UP  BY  T£f£  titiA. 

also  attributed  to  sorcery.  Although  Ned  was  no  charlatan, 
he  found  it  impossible  to  stem  the  tide  of  public  opinion, 
and  he  was  forced  to  allow  the  natives  to  indulge  in  their 
superstitions.  There  was,  however,  much  danger  insepara 
ble  from  his  exalted  position.  The  king  was  an  ignorant 
savage,  and  although  he  believed  thoroughly  in  magic,  his 
confidence  in  the  individual  sorcerer  depended  upon  success, 
and  the  law  of  the  country  determined  that  three  successive 
failures  should  be  punished  by  the  death  of  the  rain-maker 
or  magician.  TolSTed's  horror  and  disgust  two  of  the  king's 
sorcerers  had  already  been  put  to  death  in  his  presence  for 
having  repeatedly  failed  in  their  prophecies  of  success  to 
the  hunting-parties.  The  fault  was  considered  to  exist  in 
a  lying  spirit  in  the  inside  of  the  sorcerer :  the  unfortunate 
wretch  was' therefore  put  to  death  before  all  the  people,  by 
being  ripped  open  with  a  sharp  knife,  when  his  vital  organs 
were  carefully  examined  by  other  sorcerers,  who  pretended 
to  discover  the  traces  of  the  evil  spirit. 

It  was  not  long  before  Ned  was  requested  by  the  King 
to  foretell  the  result  of  a  hunting  expedition  that  was  about 
to  start  upon  a  large  scale.  With  the  horrible  fate  of  the 
unlucky  prophets  before  him,  Ned  declared,  with  much  tact, 
that  great  success  would  attend  the  hunting-party  should 
he  and  Tim  accompany  the  hunters.  It  was  accordingly 
arranged  that  he  should  take  the  entire  command. 

At  daybreak  on  the  following  morning  Ned,  accompanied 
by  Tim  and  Nero  with  fifty  picked  men,  started  upon  their 
expedition  in  five  large  canoes,  formed  from  the  straight 
stems  of  gigantic  trees. 

The  sun  had  just  risen  when  the  little  fleet  paddled  rap 
idly  along  the  shore ;  the  men  were  in  the  highest  spirits, 
as  Nedk^presence  among  them  inspired  a  confidence  of  suc 
cess.  For  ten  hours  they  paddled  without  ceasing,  merely 
halting  to  relieve  each  other  at  the  oars,  and  Ned  reckoned 


CAST   UP  JJY   THE  XEA,  279 

that  they  had  travelled  about  thirty-five  miles,  when,  at  four 
o'clock,  the  leading  canoe  steered  into  a  narrow  bay,  with  a 
clean  sandy  beach,  upon  which  the  crews  disembarked  and 
dragged  their  vessels  high  and  dry.  A  ridge  of  precipitous 
rocky  hills  of  several  hundred  feet  high  bordered  the  lake 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  water,  which  appeared 
to  extend  to  their  base  during  the  floods  of  the  rainy  sea 
son  ;  the  flat,  sandy  ground  between  them  and  the  lake  was 
scantily  covered  with  a  fine  silky  grass,  and  the  soft  earth 
was  deeply  imprinted  with  numerous  tracks  of  elephants, 
hippopotami,  giraffes,  and  other  large  animals. 

This  part  of  the  country  was  uninhabited,  .and  therefore 
it  abounded  with  game. 

While  the  hunters  removed  their  weapons  and  light  bag 
gage  from  the  canoes  Ned  strolled  with  his  gun  to  the  base 
of  the  rocky  hills,  and  perceiving  that  they  were  too  precipi 
tous  to  ascend  he  concluded  that  the  wild  animals  must  de 
scend  to  the  lake  by  some  pass  from  the  high  ground  above. 
'Continuing  along  the  base  of  the  hills  it  was  not  long  be 
fore  he  arrived  at  the  dry  bed  of  a  torrent  that  descended 
between  two  walls  of  rock  that  formed  a  ravine  from  the 
high  lands  to  the  lake ;  this  was  completely  trodden  down 
by  the  feet  of  the  ponderous  animals  that  nightly  arrived 
by  that  path  to  drink.  It  immediately  struck  Ned  that,  if 
he  were  to  watch  the  pass  by  moonlight,  with  Tim  and  their 
two  double-barrelled  guns,  he  would  be  able  to  cut  off  any 
animals  that  should  descend,  as  he  would  have  the  advantage 
of  a  secure  position  about  twenty  feet  above  them.  Deter 
mined  to  carry  out  his  plan,  he  hurried  back  to  the  party, 
who  had  already  settled  themselves  for  the  night  behind 
some  high  rocks  which  effectually  concealed  their  fire. 
"Ned  now  explained  his  plan  to  Tim  and  the  peopfl^nd  hav 
ing  dined  off  a  large  fish  which  one  of  the  hunter^iad  har 
pooned  during  the  voyage,  he  tied  Nero  to  a  tree,  telling 


280  VA  S  T   UP  JS  Y   Til E  SEA , 

him  to  watch  his  knapsack  of  clothes  and  ammunition,  and 
with  a  caution  to  the  hunters  to  observe  the  greatest  quiet, 
he  started  with  Tim  to  watch  the  pass. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  mouth  of  the  gorge,  which  formed  an 
alley  or  narrow  street  through  the  hill-side,  Ned  climbed  up 
the  steep  ascent^  and  took  his  position  beneath  a  small  tree 
that  grew  among  the  clefts  of  the  rocks  exactly  on  the  edge 
of  the  ravine ;  thus  he  commanded  the  pass,  as  he  could  drop 
a  pebble  upon  any  animal  that  passed  below.  This  curious 
pathway  was  of  great  length,  as  it  was  by  no  means  precipi 
tous,  but  descended  at  a  gradual  inclination  with  many 
windings  from  the  table-land  on  the  summit  of  the  hills. 

The  wind  blew  toward  the  lake,  thus  it  was  favorable  for 
the  watchers. 

The  moon  was  nearly  full,  and  not  a  cloud  dimmed  the 
face  of  the  heavens ;  thus  it  would  be  almost  as  easy  to  shoot 
correctly  as  in  daylight,  especially  as  Ned  had  taken  the 
precaution  to  fasten  a  piece  of  white  paper  cut  into  a  sharp 
point  as  a  sight  at  the  muzzle  of  the  guns.  At  length,  as 
daylight  entirely  faded,  the  moon  seemed  doubly  bright, 
and  the  night  set  in  with  that  brilliancy  that  can  only  be 
seen  within  the  tropics.  There  was  not  a  sound  to  be  heard 
except  the  occasional  splashing  and  loud  sonorous  snort  of 
the  hippopotami  among  the  reeds  by  the  margin  of  the  lake, 
and  the  hum  of  musquitoes  that  tormented  Ned  without 
ceasing. 

About  an  hour  passed  in  fruitless  watching ;  the  moon 
was  noAV  high  enough  to  throw  her  light  directly  into  the 
ravine,  and  suddenly,  although  no  sound  had  been  heard, 
Ned  perceived  a  dull  gray  mass  that  looked  like  a  large  por 
tion  of  the  rock  moving  slowly  forward  from  an  angle  in  the 
gorge.  ,jjfh.e  mass  suddenly  halted,  when,  in  the  distance,  a 
sound  rang  through  the  still  night  air  like  the  shrill  note  of 
a  trumpet.  A  low  and  deep  growl,  like  the  rumbling  of 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  281 

distant  thunder,  seemed  to  shake  the  rock  upon  which  Ned 
lay  concealed.  Suddenly  a  tremendous  trumpet  sounded 
from  the  gorge  where  the  dull  gray  mass  had  halted,  and, 
growling  deeply,  the  bull  elephant  advanced  unconscious  of 
impending  danger  along  the  bottom  of  the  ravine.  Another 
and  another  elephant  followed  until  the  leader  passed  di 
rectly  beneath  the  spot  where  Ned  and  Tim  were  concealed ; 
the  entire  alley  was  crowded  with  the  herd  of  enormous 
animals  as  they  followed  their  leader  in  single  file  toward 
the  lake. 

Ned's  heart  beat  loudly  with  excitement  as  one  by  one 
the  elephants  passed  below  him ;  but  he  reserved  his  fire 
until  eight  or  ten  had  made  their  exit  f ram  the  gorge,  us  he 
rightly  conjectured  that  at  the  alarm  of  the  first  shot  those 
who  had  already  passed  out  would  endeavor  to  return  whence 
they  came  ;  this  would  create  great  confusion  in  the  narrow 
pass,  during  which  he  would  have  an  opportunity  of  select 
ing  the  finest  animals.  . ;  '• 

As  the  elephants  slowly  filed  below  Ned  whispered  to 
Tim  to  hand  him  the  spare  gun  as  quickly  as  possible  when 
he  should  require  it,  and  aiming  behind  the  ear  of  a  large 
bull  that  was  not  more  than  five  paces  distant  he  fired.  The 
huge  animal  fell  dead  to  the  shot.  For  some  minutes  the 
herd  of  elephants  remained  stationary,  as  though  suddenly 
turned  to  stone ;  the  flash  of  the  gun  and  the  unknown  re 
port  had  completely  astonished  them,  and  they  waited  in 
uncertainty  of  the  position  and  nature  of  the  danger.  Dur 
ing  this  time  Ned  reloaded  his  gun,  and  aiming  at  the  tem 
ple  of  a  large  elephant  that  stood  exactly  before  him  he  again 
fired.  To  his-^elight  this  animal  fell  likewise ;  but  now  an 
indescribable  scene  of  confusion  arose.  At  the  last  flash  of 
the  gun  those  elephants  that  had  already  passed'Vfrom  the 
gorge  turned  quickly  round,  and  charged  desperately  in  their 
retreat  up  the  narrow  pass,  which  was  blocked  not  only  by 


282  CAST   UP  13Y   THE  SEA. 

the  bodies  of  the  two  dead  elephants  but  by  the  dense  mass 
of  animals  which,  seized  by  the  panic,  now  wedged  closely 
together  in  their  frantic  endeavors  to  escape. 

There  was  no  necessity  for  concealment,  and  Ned  quietly 
stood  upon  the  edge  of  the  rocks,  just  out  of  reach  of  the 
elephants'  trunks,  and  steadily  selected  his  shots,  aiming 
generally  behind  the  ear  as  the  most  fatal  spot.  Six  ele 
phants  fell  to  his  guns  before  they  could  extricate  themselves 
from  their  helpless  position ;  then,  having  regained  their  for 
mation  in  single  file,  they  disappeared  at  an  extraordinary 
pace  in  the  gloom  of  the  ravine. 

This  was  a  good  beginning.  Tim  had  handed  the  gun 
quickly,  and  had  reloaded  as  fast  as  Ned  had  fired,  and  their 
six  prizes  now  blocked  the  passage  of  the  narrow  gorge. 
But  more  remained  to  be  done,  as  the  night  was  young  and 
the  moon  bright ;  therefore  Ned  proposed  that  they  should 
follow  the  edge  of  the  ravine  for  a  considerable  distance 
where  it  had  been  undisturbed:  there  they  might  pass 
another  hour  in  watching  before  they  returned  to  their 
party. 

They  picked  their  way  among  loose  rocks  until  they  ar 
rived  at  the  summit  of  the  high  ground  :  they  then  discov 
ered  what  they  had  supposed  to  be  af  hill  from  the  level  of 
the  lake  was  merely  a  cliff,  or  precipitous  slope  descending 
from  a  beautiful  expanse  of  table-land,  that  was  a  combina 
tion  of  forests  and  plains.  From  this  elevated  land  the  tor 
rents  descended  to  the  lake  by  deep  gorges  that  had  been 
worn  through  the  hill-side,  and  Ned  once  more  took  up  his 
position  behind  a  large  tamarind-tree  that  overhung  the  ra 
vine  which  the  elephants  had  recently  quitted.  The  white 
sand  at  the  bottom  of  the  gorge  was  trodden  deeply  by  the 
feet  of  the  numerous  herd  that  had  now  retreated  to  the 
jungles,  in  which  they  could  be  distinctly  heard  trumpeting 
and  roaring  in  the  distance. 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  283 

More  than  an  hour  passed  away  without  the  appearance 
of  any  animal,  and  Ned  was  thinking  of  his  return  when  he 
suddenly  heard  the  clatter  of  stones  as  some  hard-footed 
beast  was  descending  the  ravine.  In  a  few  moments  he  ob 
served  several  spectre-like  forms  advancing  along  the  bot 
tom,  their  heads  being  sometimes  on  a  level  with  the  rocks 
that  overhung  the  edge.  They  were  giraffes  who  were 
thus  descending  to  drink  at  the  lake. 

As  they  passed  within  a  few  feet  of  Ned  he  fired  at  the 
head  of  one  that  nearly  touched  him ;  this  fell  to  the  shot, 
and  as  the  herd  dashed  round  and  rushed  off  with  amazing 
speed,  Ned  firecl  his  remaining  barrel  at  the  shoulder  of 
another  animal,  but  apparently  without  success,  as  it  re 
treated  with  the  rest.  This  was  great  luck ;  Ned  had  kill 
ed  six  elephants  and  a  giraffe,  and  he  resolved  to  return  to 
the  spot  where  his  party  had  bivouacked,  as  he  had  done 
sufficient  work  for  the  night.  The  easiest  path  was  by  the 
ravine  through  which  the  elephants  had  arrived ;  Ned  there 
fore  clambered  down  the  rock,  followed  by  Tim,  until  he 
gained  the  sandy  bottom  of  the  gorge,  by  which  gradual 
descent  they  arrived  at  the  dead  elephants.  In  passing  these 
Tim  cut  off  their  tails,  as  he  had  also  done  with  the  giraffe, 
and  with  these  trophies  they  continued  on  their  way.  After 
passing  through  a  dark  strip  of  forest  they  observed  the 
light  of  the  fires  around  which  the  natives  wTere  sitting  in 
anxious  expectation  of  their  return,  as  they  had  distinctly 
heard  the  shots  and  the  loud  trumpeting  of  the  elephants. 
Tim,  in  great  triumph,  exhibited  the  tails,  and  recounted  the 
story  of  the  night,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  natives,  who 
had  now  obtained  as  large  a  supply  of  meat  in  one  night  as 
they  were  accustomed  to  collect  in  a  fortnight's  hunting. 
They  determined  to  visit  the  spot  before  daybreak,  to  pre 
pare  the  flesh  and  secure"  it  from  putrefaction. 

At  about  4  A.M.  they  sailied  forth  with  knives,  axes,  and 


284  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

sacks  to  cut  up  the  game.  This  they  performed  with  great 
dexterity  by  dividing  the  flesh  in  long  but  thin  slips,  which 
were  at  once  hung  upon  the  trees  in  festoons  to  dry,  while 
fires  were  lighted  beneath  to  preserve  it  from  the  flies. 
While  they  were  thus  engaged  Ned,  with  the  dog,  stroll 
ed  up  the"* ravine  to  the  body  of  the  giraffe,  which  had  al 
ready  been  attacked  by  hyenas,  whose  tracks  were  visible 
in  the  sand.  Knowing  that  he  had  wounded  a  second  gi 
raffe,  he  now  continued  along  the  ravine,  and  presently  he 
discovered  tracks  of  blood  upon  the  stones  upon  the  right- 
hand  side  of  the  gully,  which  proved  that  the  animal  was 
wounded.  He  now  carefully  followed  upon  the  marks  un 
til  he  emerged  from  the  ravine  among  some  roughly-bro 
ken  ground  near  the  summit  of  the  table-land ;  this  was  in 
some  places  covered  with  thick  bush,  but  Ned  remarked 
that  in  one  spot  the  white  sand  was  reddened  with  blood, 
and  trampled  in  all  directions  by  the  tracks  of  lions  min 
gled  with  the  wide  -  spreading  hoofs  of  giraffes.  It  was 
evident  that  some  great  struggle  had  taken  place,  as  the 
sand  was  marked  in  one  direction  by  a  weight  that  appear 
ed  to  have  been  dragged  across  it,  as  though  the  giraffe 
had  been  carried  off  by  the  lions.  As  he  followed  upon 
the  track  along  which  the  heavy  body  had  been  dragged 
Nero  bristled  up  his  back,  and  cautiously  approached  a 
dense  covert  of  thorns  within  a  small  hollow  among  the 
rocks.  The  dog  halted,  and  appeared  to  wind  something 
within  the  thick  jungle,  as  he  advanced  a  few  steps  nearer 
and  then  barked  in  great  excitement.  Ned  felt  sure  that 
either  one  or  more  lions  had  dragged  the  body  of  the  gi 
raffe  within  the  den  of  thorns ;  accordingly,  when  within 
twenty  paces  of  the  spot,  he  threw  several  large  stones  into 
the  middle  of  the  bush.  With  a  loud  roar  a  magnificent 
lion  rushed  out  from  his  lair  and  crouched  before  the  bush, 
eying  Ned  fiercely,  and  growling  deeply  as  though  prepared 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  285 

to  spring.  The  lion  moved  his  tail  rapidly  from  side  to 
side,  striking  the  ground  with  the  tuft  of  black  hair  at  the 
extremity  with  a  force  that  made  the  sand  fly  like  puffs  of 
smoke.  This  was  a  sign  of  extreme  fury,  and  Ned  mo 
mentarily  expected  an  attack  that  would  have  been  difficult 
to  avoid.  For  several  minutes  they  faced  each  other  de 
terminedly,  Ned  all  the  while  keeping  his  eyes  fixed  un 
flinchingly  upon  those  of  the  lion.  At  length,  as  the  dog 
continued  to  spring  around  him,  barking  without  ceasing, 
the  lion  rose  from  the  ground  and  stalked  proudly  back 
ward  and  forward  before  the  covert,  as  though  to  guard 
the  entrance.  This  was  a  grand  opportunity  for  a  side 
shot  at  the  shoulder,  and  never  did  Ned  aim  with  greater 
coolness  and  accuracy,  as  he  knew  that  his  life  depended 
upon  the  shot ;  trusting  to  break  the  shoulder-bone,  and 
thus  disable  him,  he  fired.  With  a  terrific  roar  the  lion 
charged  with  one  bound  into  the  smoke  of  the  gun ;  at  the 
same  time  that  he  descended  he  struck  a  random  blow  with 
his  right  paw  that  would  have  felled  a  buffalo.  Fortunate 
ly  for  Ned,  at  the  moment  of  firing  he  had  sprung  upon 
one  side,  and  thus  avoided  the  crushing  blow.  The  lion 
now  rolled  over  almost  at  his  feet,  and,  recovering  himself 
immediately,  he  rushed  upon  Ned,  receiving  at  the  same  in 
stant  the  contents  of  the  second  barrel  in  his  mouth.  With 
great  activity  Ned  had  again  avoided  him  in  the  thick 
smoke  at  the  moment  of  firing,  and  Nero  rushing  in  had 
seized  the  lion  between  the  hind  legs,  where  he  hung  on 
with  a  furious  tenacity  that  no  efforts  of  the  animal  could 
relax.  Ned  had  Jem  Stevens's  pistols  in  his  belt,  one  of 
which  he  had  quickly  drawn  ;  but  the  struggles  of  the  lion 
with  the  dog  were  so  great  and  extremely  rapid  that  he  had 
no  chance  of  taking  a  correct  aim.  The  blood  was  pouring 
from  the  lion's  mouth,  as  well  as  from  a  wound  through 
the  shoulder,  and  presently,  amid  his  tremendous  efforts  to 


286  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

turn  and  attack  the  dog,  he  reared  to  his  full  height  upon 
his  hind  legs'and  with  a  savage  roar  he  fell  upon  his  back 
with  the  stanch  dog  beneath  him.  As  quick  as  lightning, 
to  save  Nero,  Ned  rushed  in,  and  fired  his  pistol  within  a 
few  inches  of  the  lion's  head,  scattering  his  brains  upon  the 
faithful  dog.  The  lion  never  moved  a  muscle.  Ned,  pale 
with  the  excitement  of  the  fight,  now  caressed  the  dog,  who 
fiercely  shook  the  dead  lion's  throat ;  after  which  he  wiped 
the  perspiration  from  his  forehead,  and  looking  up  to  the 
clear  heavens  he  devoutly  thanked  God  for  protection  in 
the  strife.  He  was  surveying  the  carcass  of  the  lion  with 
a  hunter's  pride  when  Tim  suddenly  appeared,  accompanied 
by  several  of  the  natives  who  had  heard  the  shots  and  hur 
ried  to  discover  the  cause.  They  could  hardly  believe  their 
eyes  when  they  saw  the  lion  lying  dead ;  and  upon  entering 
the  jungle  they  found  the  remains  of  the  giraffe,  which  had 
been  partially  devoured.  They  now  took  possession  of  the 
prize ;  and  having  skinned  the  lion  and  cut  his  flesh  from 
the  bones,  they  severed  his  head^from  the  body,  together 
with  the  skin,  and  returned  to  their  party,  who  were  busily 
engaged  in  taking  the  meat  of  the  elephants. 

The  whole  day  was  occupied  by  the  natives  in  cutting 
up  the  elephants  and  transporting  them  to  the  place  of 
bivouac.  In  the  mean  time  Ned,  who  had  no  taste  for  that 
branch  of  the  expedition,  took  possession  of  one  of  the  ca 
noes  with  the  assistance  of  Tim,  and  determined,  if  possi 
ble,  to  procure  some  fresh  fish  for  dinner.  Many  drift 
bamboos  were  lying  upon  the  beach,  from  which  he  selected 
one  about  sixteen  feet  long  and  tapered ;  he  then  lashed  a 
thong  of  elephant's  hide  to  the  point,  so  as  to  form  a  stiff 
loop  in  the  place  of  a  ring,  through  which  he  passed  a 
strong  line  made  of  the  aloe  fibre ;  to  this  he  attached  u 
large  hook  and  a  piece  of  light  wood  as  a  float.  With  a 
coil  of  about  a  hundred  yards  of  line  wound  upon  two  pegs 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  287 

-a  foot  asunder,  that  he  drove  into  the  butt  of  his  rod  in  the 
place  of  a  reel,  Ned  was  ready  for  a  day's  fishing,  with  the 
exception  of  the  bait.  Tim  quickly  secured  the  latter  nec 
essary  article  by  forming  a  line  with  half  a  dozen  single 
hairs  of  the  giraffe's  tail,  to  whi  *  he  attached  a  small  hook 
baited  with  a  minute  piece  of  elephant's  fat.  The  small 
fish  of  about  half  a  pound  weight  bit  greedily,  and  having 
caught  five  or  six  Tim  kept  them  alive  in  a  large  gourd- 
shell  of  water,  and  Ned  pushed  the  canoe  from  the  shore. 
The  small  fish  were  bright  and  silvery,  but  they  had  a 
tough  skin  like  that  of  an  eel  instead  of  scales ;  through 
this,  just  beneath  the  back  fin,  Ned  inserted  the  large  hook, 
and  throwing  his  lively  and  alluring  bait  into  deep  water 
within  a  few  yards  of  a  bank  of  tall  reeds  he  patiently 
waited  the  result. 

About  half  an  hour  had  passed  in  perfect  silence  when 
Ned  was  startled  by  a  tremendous  snort,  accompanied  by  a 
splash  in  the  water  close  to  the  canoe ;  in  another  instant 
he  felt  a  severe  shock  as  the  head  of  a  hippopotamus  struck 
the  bottom,  and  lifted  the  canoe  several  inches  above  the 
surface.  As  though  proud  of  his  performance,  the  angry 
old  bull  now  raised  his  head  above  the  water,  and  again 
snorted  loudly.  Tim  snatched  up  his  gun,  and,  taking  a 
good  aim,  he  fired  into  the  middle  of  its  head  in  a  line  from 
between  the  eyes.  With  a  splash  the  animal  disappeared. 
Several  other  hippopotami  now  showed  their  heads,  but  at 
a  more  respectful  distance,  as  they  were  alarmed  at  the  re 
port  of  the  gun. 

"  Dat's  what  I  call  a  ugly  feller,"  remarked  Tim  ;  "  he 
got  a  pair  of  lips  same  like  de  nigger ;  got  a  flat  nose  like 
de  nigger ;  he's  de  reg'lar  water  nigger — dat's  a  fact  'xact- 

ly." 

Having  expressed  this  opinion  upon  the  natural  history 
of  the  hippopotamus,  Tim  reloaded  his  gun,  and  Ned  was 


288  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

about  to  make  some  remark  when  his  float  darted  off,  and 
the  rod  was  nearly  jerked  out  of  his  hand ;  fortunately  he 
held  a  loose  coil  that  was  not  wound  round  the  pegs,  and 
allowing  this  to  fall  upon  the  ground  he  grasped  the  line 
with  one  hand,  and  struck  hard  to  fasten  the  fish.  It  was 
impossible  to  check  the  rush,  and  for  the  moment  Ned  fear 
ed  that  a  crocodile  had  seized  his  bait,  and  that  he  should 
lose  the  tackle ;  but  he  was  presently  undeceived,  as  an  im 
mense  fish  sprang  high  out  of  the  water,  at  about  eighty 
yards  distant,  firmly  hooked. 

For  about  twenty  minutes  the  struggle  continued  be 
tween  Ned  and  the  fish,  which  constantly  leaped  from  the 
water,  and,  shaking  its  head  violently,  endeavored  to  free 
itself  from  the  hook.  At  length,  as  Ned  had  kept  a  severe 
strain  upon  the  line,  the  fish  showed  signs  of  exhaustion, 
and  Tim  paddled  the  canoe  toward  a  sand-bank  for  the 
purpose  of  landing  their  prize  in  shallow  water.  Jumping 
out  of  the  canoe  Ned  ran  backward  upon  the  bank,  and 
keeping  a  tight  line  he  presently  succeeded  in  leading  the 
fish  into  the  shallows,  where  it  struggled  helplessly  upon 
its  side ;  Tim  got  behind  it,  and  falling  bodily  upon  it,  he 
grasped  the  gills  with  both  hands,  and  dragged  it  to  the 
shore.  The  scales  were  as  bright  as  silver,  except  upon  the 
back,  where  they  were  a  dark  slaty  blue ;  it  was  a  species 
of  perch  that  weighed  about  eighty  pounds,  and  both  Ned 
and  Tim  rejoiced  in  their  beautiful  prize.  To  preserve  it 
fresh  Ned  fastened  a  piece  of  strong  line  around  the  tail, 
and  then  placed  it  in  deep  w^ater  secured  to  a  peg  upon  the 
bank :  thus  it  quickly  recovered  from  its  fatigue. 

In  about  an  hour  Ned  had  another  run,  and  captured  a 
fish  of  the  same  species  that  weighed  nearly  forty  pounds, 
which  he  landed  upon  the  sand-bank  in  a  similar  manner  to 
the  first.  They  had  again  pushed  off  in  the  canoe  when 
Tim  perceived  something  like  the  back  of  a  large  turtle 


CAST   UP  J3Y  THK  SEA.  289 

above  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  upon  quietly  paddling 
toward  it  he  discovered  that  it  was  the  flank  of  the  hippo 
potamus  at  which  he  had  fired,  which  now  floated,  This 
animal  always  sinks  to  the  bottom  when  first  killed,  but  in 
about  an  hour  and  a  half,  when  the  gas  has  distended  the 
body,  it  rises  to  the  surface.  Here  was  an  additional  sup 
ply  of  food;  and  returning  to  the  shore  Ned  procured  a 
rope,  which  they  made  fast  to  one  of  the  hind  legs,  and 
toAved  the  carcass  to  the  bank,  where  it  awaited  the  arrival 
of  the  natives. 

In  the  evening  the  hunters  returned,  having  completed 
their  task,  and  upon  hearing  of  the  fresh  supply  they  im 
mediately  set  to  work  upon  the  hippopotamus. 

In  the  mean  while  Tim,  ever  mindful  of  the  cooking  de 
partment,  dug  a  hole  in  the  ground,  about  four  feet  deep 
and  three  in  diameter,  like  a  well  with  perpendicular  sides, 
and  having  collected  a  large  quantity  of  fuel  he  lighted  a 
fire  within  the  hole,  which  he  fed  with  logs  of  dry  wood, 
so.  that  it  burned  fiercely  for  four  hours :  by  the  expiration 
of  this  time  the  sides  of  the  pit  were  red  hot,  and  the  bot 
tom  was  a  mass  of  glowing  embers.  Into  this  natural  oven 
he  placed  the  two  fore  feet  of  an  elephant  with  a  portion  of 
the  trunk  and  the  four  feet  of  the  hippopotamus.  He  then 
covered  the  hole  wit|i  bars  of  green  wood,  upon  which  he 
piled  a  few  armsf ul  of  green  and  well-wetted  flags  that  he 
procured  from  the  lake.  He  then  plastered  the  whole  sur 
face  thickly  with  mud,  upon  which  he  piled  earth  and  sods 
firmly  beaten  down  until  it  resembled  a  grave ;  this  was  to 
retain  the  heat  within  the  oven.  This  supply  of  meat 
would  be  thoroughly  roasted  in  about  thirty-six  hours. 

Having  dined  sumptuously  off  hippopotamus  liver  cut 
into  steaks  and  grilled,  with  slices  of  the  fish  fried  in  hippo 
potamus  fat,  Ned  and  Tim  threw  themselves  upon  their 
mats  close  to  a  blazing  fire,  and  slept  during  the  night. 

N 


290  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

On  waking  upon  the  following  morning  Ned  found  the 
cainp  already  astir.  The  natives  had  made  numerous  fires, 
upon  which  large  earthenware  pots  were  arranged,  and  the 
whole  party  was  occupied  in  boiling  down  the  fat  of  both 
elephants  and  hippopotamus.  The  residue  of  the  meat, 
after  boiling,  was  carefully  stored  in  goat-skin  sacks,  and 
was  considered  a  great  delicacy.  No  fat  can  equal  that  of 
the  hippopotamus  in  mildness  of  flavor ;  this  was  poured 
while  warm  into  gourd-shells,  and  allowed  to  harden.  The 
bladders  of  the  elephants  were  also  filled  with  fat,  and  not 
even  the  smallest  portion  of  the  numerous  large  animals 
was  wasted.  Another  day  was  passed  in  drying  and  pack 
ing  their  harvest  of  meat.  On  the  next  day  Ned  opened 
the  subterranean  oven.  Upon  removing  the  earth  the  coat 
ing  of  mud  was  found  to  be  perfectly  hard  like  a  thick  crust ; 
beneath  this  the  flags  had  retained  sufficient  moisture  to 
prevent  them  from  being  burned,  although  the  oven  was 
still  hot  and  steaming.  With  some  difficulty  the  men  now 
lifted  out  the  immense  feet  of  the  elephant,  together  with 
the  other  baked  meats,  all  of  which  were  laid  upon  a  mat 
strewn  with  green  reeds.  The  elephant's  feet  were  ex 
tremely  curious,  as  the  soles  became  detached  from  the  foot 
upon  a  gentle  pressure,  and  exposed  a  white  and  inviting 
surface  beneath ;  this  was  a  firm,  but  fatty  substance  that 
was  extremely  rich  and  gelatinous.  Having  taken  off  the 
elephant's  shoes  the  feet  were  divided  among  the  party,  and 
Ned  thought  that  he  had  never  eaten  any  thing  more  de 
licious. 

As  the  labor  of  preparing  the  store  of  meat  was  com 
pleted  the  natives  wished  to  return  home,  as  the  canoes 
would  be  nearly  filled.  They  accordingly  launched  their 
vessels,  and  loaded  them  with  dried  flesh,  fat,  and  elephants' 
tusks,  together  with  pieces  of  giraffe  hide  cut  into  oblong 
shapes  that  were  to  be  manufactured  into  shields.  Every 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  291 

thing  was  ready  for  a  start  on  the  morrow,  and  Ned  strolled 
about  half  a  mile  from  the  camp  before  sunset,  and  climbed 
a  high  rock  to  enjoy  a  more  extensive  view  of  the  land 
scape.  From  this  position  he  looked  down  upon  the  camp, 
at  the  same  time  he  commanded  a  view  of  the  pass  in 
which  he  had  killed  so  many  elephants.  As  his  eyes  in 
stinctively  wandered  to  the  scene  of  his  first  night's  sport 
he  was  astonished  to  see  issuing  stealthily  from  the  gorge 
into  the  low  ground  a  long  string  of  blacks  in  single  file,  all 
armed  with  bows  and  spears.  For  about  ten  minutes  he 
watched  them  attentively.  Some  were  painted  a  bright 
red :  these  Ned  supposed  to  be  chiefs,  as  they  were  at  reg 
ular  intervals  in  the  file  of  men  which  still  continued  to 
pour  from  the  ravine.  Marching  directly  for  a  small  thick 
et  that  was  near  the  edge  of  the  lake  the  entire  party  of 
about  five  hundred  men  was  suddenly  concealed.  This  had 
taken  place  so  suddenly  and  quietly  that  Ned  could  hardly 
believe  his  eyes.  There  could  be  no  doubt  that  the  large 
armed  force  was  lying  in  ambush  for  some  hostile  purpose, 
and  as  Ned  would  be  forced  to  pass  within  a  few  hundred 
yards  of  the  thicket  to  regain  the  camp  he  felt  that  his  po 
sition  was  extremely  hazardous.  It  was  necessary  to  give 
an  immediate  alarm  to  his  party,  but  the  great  difficulty  lay 
in  effecting  a  junction.  There  was  a  small  dry  water-course 
that  led  from  the  hill  to  the  lake,  and  Ned  immediately  de 
termined  to  crawl  along  the  bottom  until  he  should  gain 
the  rushes  that  bordered  the  water,  after  which  he  would 
have  no  difficulty  in  reaching  the  canoes,  where  the  men 
were  still  engaged.  There  was  no  time  to  lose.  Sliding 
upon  his  back  down  the  steep  hill-side,  Ned  reached  the 
water-course.  This  was  tolerably  deep  in  parts,  so  that  he 
could  cover  his  advance  by  simply  stooping;  but  in  the 
more  rocky  portions  of  the  trench  it  was  shallow,  and  he 
was  forced  to  crawl  upon  his  hands  and  knees.  He  had 


292  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

gained  one  of  these  exposed  positions  when  he  turned  his 
head  toward  the  thicket,  and  he  distinctly  observed  two  na 
tives  peering  out  from  the  place  of  ambush.  Ned  lay  flat 
upon  the  ground,  and  did  not  move  for  several  minutes. 
Again  he  slowly  raised  his  head :  he  could  see  no  one,  and 
once  more  he  crawled  along  the  ground  until  he  arrived  in 
a  deeper  portion  of  the  water-course.  He  then  hurried 
along  in  a  stooping  position,  and  at  length  gained  the  reeds 
at  the  water's  edge.  Under  cover  of  the  reeds  he  splashed 
through  mud  and  water  until  he  at  length  reached  the  ca 
noes.  Tim  was  the  first  person  whom  he  met,  as  he  had 
been  fishing  in  the  lake  and  had  just  returned  with  several 
natives.  Upon  hearing  Ned's  account  rapidly  delivered 
Tim  immediately  informed  his  native,  companions.  In  an 
instant  they  rushed  to  the  camp  for  their  arms,  followed  by 
Ned  and  Tim.  Upon  arrival  the  entire  party  would  have 
been  seized  with  a  panic  had  not  Ned  at  once  assumed  the 
command. 

Upon  order  being  restored,  the  natives  explained  that  the 
people  whom  Ned  had  seen  must  be  men  of  a  hostile  tribe, 
who  had  upon  a  former  occasion  massacred  a  hunting-party 
similar  to  the  present  expedition ;  they  had  no  doubt  been 
informed  by  spies  of  their  presence,  and  they  would  attack 
from  their  ambush  during  the  night.  It  would  be  impossi 
ble  to  resist  them,  as  they  were  warriors  renowned  for  the 
impetuosity  of  their  onset.  Thus  a  force  of  five  hundred 
men  would  annihilate  a  small  party  at  the  first  rush. 

As  the  canoes  were  loaded,  Ned  proposed  that  they 
should  embark  at  once  and  push  off  from  the  shore.  It  was 
growing  dusk,  and  they  would  avoid  the  confusion  of  a  night 
attack,  should  they  be  assailed  when  the  enemy  perceived 
their  retreat  to  the  boats.  Not  a  moment  was  lost.  Ned 
ordered  the  natives  to  march  in  a  compact  body  to  the  ca 
noes,  while  he  and  Tim  would  bring  up  the  rear.  Drawing 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  293 

the  bullets  from  their  guns,  the  two  lads  recharged  them 
with  buck-shot,  which,  in  the  event  of  a  fight,  would  take  a 
greater  effect  upon  a  mass  of  men.  Ned  had  the  brace  of 
pistols  in  his  belt  that  he  had  found  in  Stevens's  chest,  and  he 
felt  no  doubt  that  the  report  and  effect  of  fire-arms  would 
paralyze  the  attack  sufficiently  to  allow  them  to  push  off  in 
their  canoes.  He  gave  the  word  "  forward,"  and  his  little 
body  of  fifty  men,  with  their  arrows  ready  fixed  upon  their 
bows,  advanced  steadily  but  quickly  forward,  while  he  and 
Tim  followed  a  few  paces  in  the  rear. 

Hardly  had  they  quitted  the  screen  of  jungle  which  pro 
tected  their  camp  than  their  retreat  was  observed  by  the 
party  in  ambush  in  the  thicket  some  hundred  yards  on  their 
right.  In  the  instant  a  wild  yell  was  raised  by  an  invisible 
enemy,  who  almost  at  the  same  moment  burst  from  the  wood, 
and  with  savage  screams  and  shouts  came  rushing  across  the 
open  ground  to  intercept  the  route,  and  to  cut  off  the  ca 
noes. 

"  Steady  !"  cried  Ned ;  "  keep  together,  my  men  ;"  which 
Tim  interpreted  immediately,  and  the  party  continued  their 
course  at  a  quick  walk. 

They  were  much  nearer  to  the  canoes  than  the  enemy, 
and  Ned,  with  cool  judgment,  calculated  that  they  would 
reach  them  at  a  walk  before  the  hostile  party  could  gain 
them  at  full  speed.  They  would  accordingly  have  time  to 
push  off  from  the  shore,  provided  that  the  embarkation  were 
conducted  without  confusion.  They  were  within  a  hundred 
yards  of  the  boats  that  were  afloat  in  the  little  bay  among 
rushes,  while  the  enemy  was  about  three  times  that  distance 
from  them,  advancing  at  full  speed,  in  a  confused  mass  of 
yelling  naked  savages.  Ned  quickly  gave  the  order  that 
every  man  should  run  to  his  own  boat  in  which  he  had  ar 
rived.  In  an  instant  his  fifty  blacks  rushed  forward,  and  di 
viding  into  tens,  the  individual  crews  of  the  five  canoes  leaped 


294  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

on  board  and  took  their  places  with  the  paddles  in  their 
hands  by  the  time  that  Ned  and  Tim  had  reached  the  bank. 
A  flight  of  arrows  now  fell  around  them  as  the  enemy,  al 
ready  within  eighty  yards  of  their  expected  prey,  shot  wild 
ly  at  full  speed  and  happily  missed  all  but  the  canoes,  in  the 
sides  of  which  several  arrows  remained  fixed.  Ned  and  Tim 
now  jumped  on  board  two  canoes,  and  as  the  paddles  struck 
the  water  with  the  powerful  stroke  of  ten  men,  both  opened 
fire  from  the  stern  upon  the  crowd  of  savages  at  about  fifty 
paces  distant.  Thirty  buck-shot  rattled  among  them  like 
hail,  and  five  or  six  men  fell,  while  others  were  wounded. 
This  unexpected  volley  for  the  instant  checked  their  advance, 
and  before  they  could  recover  from  their  confusion  the  left- 
hand  barrels  opened  and  scattered  destruction  among  their 
ranks.  Ned  now  loaded  with  ball  as  the  canoes  increased 
the  distance  between  them,  and  two  or  three  shots  fired  into 
the  baffled  crowd  sent  them  scampering  off  in  all  directions, 
leaving  several  dead  and  wounded  upon  the  ground.  A  loud 
cheer  was  now  raised  by  the  crews  of  the  canoes,  who  ceased 
paddling,  and  waved  their  paddles  in  the  air  in  defiance  of 
their  beaten  enemy.  So  excited  had  they  become,  and  so 
thoroughly  confident  in  their  leader,  that  they  besought  Ned 
to  allow  them  to  return  to  shore  for  the  purpose  of  attack 
ing  their  crest-fallen  antagonists. 

Ned  was  unwilling  to  shed  blood  except  in  self-defense, 
therefore  he  restrained  their  exuberant  valor,  and  desired 
them  to  pull  steadily  along  the  coast  toward  their  own  home, 
where  they  would  be  received  with  a  hearty  welcome,  as  they 
were  heavily  laden  with  hunting  spoils.  For  some  hours 
they  paddled  in  silence,  as  the  night  was  dark  and  they  were 
obliged  to  keep  a  good  lookout  ahead ;  but  when  at  length 
the  moon  rose  and  shone  brilliantly  over  the  calm  surface  of 
the  lake  they  burst  out  into  songs  that  lasted  until  sunrise. 
The  substance  of  their  minstrelsy  was  a  description  of  all 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  295 

that  had  taken  place  during  their  expedition.  This  was  gen 
erally  improvised  by  one  man  who  sang  in  a  kind  of  reci 
tative,  and  at  the  end  of  each  verse  a  wild  chorus  was  join 
ed  in  by  the  whole  crew.  Thus  were  Ned's  praises  sung, 
neither  was  Tim  nor  even  Nero  omitted  from  the  ode,  but 
all  the  principal  performers  were  introduced,  and  the  vari 
ous  scenes  described,  even  to  the  yells  and  shouts  of  the  at 
tacking  enemy,  and  the  reports  of  the  fire-arms  in  the  de 
fense. 

In  spite  of  the  savagery  of  the  music,  there  was  an  inde 
scribable  enthusiasm  and  an  energy  in  the  chorus  that  was 
contagious,  and  in  the  pale  moonlight,  with  the  regular  splash, 
of  the  paddles  that  kept  an  even  accompaniment,  Ned  found 
himself  joining  with  the  wild  voices  around  him ;  while  Tim, 
not  content  with  forming  one  of  the  chorus,  improvised  sev 
eral  verses  in  his  native  tongue  in  honor  of  "  Massa  Ned  " 
that  produced  roars  of  applause. 

The  rowers  had  worked  well  during  the  night,  and  at 
about  ten  o'clock  the  canoes  were  within  sight  of  the  vil 
lage  to  which  they  belonged.  Their  approach  was  quickly 
observed,  and  crowds  of  people  assembled  on  the  shore  to 
welcome  them  on  landing.  Hardly  had  the  canoes  touched 
the  sandy  beach  than  they  were  dragged  in  triumph  to  the 
land,  while  the  women  yelled  in  honor  of  their  arrival.  The 
cargo  was  discharged  with  great  rapidity  by  a  numerous 
band,  and  was  transported  to  the  village,  where  Ned  was 
quickly  brought  into  the  presence  of  the  king.  Drums 
were  beaten,  horns  blown,  and  great  rejoicing  accompanied 
their  return.  The  king  was  seated  upon  his  leopard  skins, 
and  he  received  Ned  with  great  courtesy,  while  the  princi 
pal  man  of  the  hunting-party  recounted  the  incidents  of  the 
expedition.  Loud  shouts  of  applause  were  raised  at  various 
portions  of  the  narrative  when  Ned's  hunting  exploits  were 
described ;  but  when  the  attack  and  defeat  of  their  old  ene- 


2 90  CAST    UP  Ur   THE  ISEA. 

mies  were  told  with  extreme  energy  the  crowd  could  no 
longer  restrain  their  enthusiasm,  but  broke  out  into  wild 
yells  of  approbation,  and  crowded  around  Ned  to  kiss  his 
hands  after  their  peculiar  fashion,  by  touching  the  palms 
with  the  tip  of  their  tongues. 

From  that  day  Ned  was  almost  as  great  a  man  as  the 
king,  to  whom  he  acted  as  counselor  and  guide  in  all  the 
affairs  of  his  territory.  He  was  thus  enabled  to  materially 
improve  the  condition  of  the  people.  They,  in  common 
with  all  negroes,  were  exceedingly  improvident,  and  neg 
lected  the  cultivation  of  their  fields,  rather  depending 
upon  the  precarious  success  of  their  hunting  expeditions 
than  upon  a  system  of  steady  industry.  Thus  they  were 
liable  to  periodical  famines.  Ned  advised  the  king  to  in 
sist  upon  the  cultivation  of  a  certain  area  of  ground  in  pro 
portion  to  the  number  of  the  population,  which  should  in 
sure  a  supply  of  corn  that  would  render  them  independent 
of  a  bad  harvest  on  the  following  season.  Although  this 
law  was  at  first  extremely  unpopular  it  was  rigidly  obeyed, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  few  months  a  large  tract  of  land  was 
cleared  and  brought  into  cultivation.  Various  improve 
ments  were  gradually  effected,  and  Ned,  having  almost  su 
preme  power,  considered  it  to  be  his  duty  to  ingraft,  if  pos 
sible,  in  the  native  mind  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being.  At 
present  they  were  utterly  devoid  of  a  religious  sentiment; 
they  had  neither  an  idea  of  a  God  nor  of  a  future  existence. 

The  task  of  conversion  that  Ned  contemplated  with  the 
sanguine  hopes  of  youth  was  far  more  difficult  than  he  had 
conceived.  There  was  a  complete  void  in  the  native  mind 
of  all  spiritual  belief ;  they  had  neither  idols  nor  temples, 
but  their  ideas  were  concentrated  upon  things  temporal, 
and  they  could  understand  nothing  concerning  a  future 
state,  unless  the  God  of  that  future  should  grant  them  the 
desires  of  the  present.  Thus  Ned  labored  in  vain ;  his  de- 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  297 

scriptions  of  spiritual  blessings  were  listened  to  with  apathy, 
or  encountered  with  practical  remarks  that  entirely  para 
lyzed  Ned's  attempts  at  theological  explanations.  "  If  your 
God  is  good,"  replied  his  hearers, "  why  does  he  kill  us  ? 
why  do  mothers  die  and  leave  their  children  helpless  ?  If 
you  say  that  He  will  hear  your  prayers,  call  upon  Him  that 
our  cows  shall  give  more  milk,  and  that  the  locust  shall  dis 
appear  from  our  crops." 

Ned  could  make  no  impression  upon  their  obtuse  intel 
lects;  they  were  too  selfishly  practical  to  understand  the 
theory  of  religion ;  their  only  idea  of  a  God  was  a  temporal 
benefit  that  could  be  derived  from  the  object  of  worship ; 
to  pray  was  to  solicit  a  favor ;  to  ask  for  a  reward  to  beg 
for  some  special  thing.  Should  this  demand  not  be  granted, 
where  was  the  use  of  prayer  ?  They  did  not  require  a  God 
unless  He  would  grant  them  all  that  they  desired.  When 
Ned  endeavored  to  convince  them  of  a  future  existence  they 
flatly  denied  the  fact,  and,  moreover,  they  did  not  wish  to 
live  again  when  they  once  should  die.  "  To  live  twice  is 
to  die  twice ;  nothing  can  last  forever.  We  die,  and  all  is 
ended  like  a  fire  that  is  burned  out,"  declared  one  of  the 
king's  sorcerers  with  whom  Ned  attempted  to  argue.  It 
was  simply  impossible  to  make  the  slightest  impression 
upon  their  feelings ;.  their  belief  did  not  extend  beyond  the 
power  of  sorcery,  which  had  no  connection  with  spiritual 
agencies ;  this  faculty  was  supposed  to  be  possessed  by  par 
ticular  individuals  who  could  produce  rain,  foretell  events, 
and  create  spells  and  charms  that  would  preserve  the  wear 
er  from  evil. 

Ned  was  always  curiously  watched  whenever  he  referred 
to  the  "  Nautical  Almanac."  As  he  turned  over  each  leaf 
the  king's  sorcerers  would  gaze  intently  at  the  mysterious 
characters  on  the  page,  and  wonder  at  the  hidden  meaning. 
One  day  as  Ned  was  examining  the  book  for  the  declination 

N  2 


298  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

of  a  star  he  happened  to  observe  that  an  eclipse  of  the  sun 
would  take  place  upon  a  certain  day,  and  that  it  would  be 
visible  from  the  position  of  the  earth  which  he  then  occu 
pied.  He  at  once  seized  upon  an  idea  by  which  he  hoped 
to  explain  to  his  obtuse  hearers  the  existence  of  a  God. 
The  sun  was  bright  and  the  sky  without  a  cloud  when  the 
king  and  his  chief  people,  together  with  his  sorcerers,  were 
sitting  beneath  the  shade  of  a  huge  sycamore,  while  Ned 
with  his  sextant  took  a  meridian  altitude ;  as  usual  his  pro 
ceedings  were  watched  with  great  curiosity.  Ned  had  by 
this  time  learned  sufficient  of  the  native  language  to  con 
verse  with  tolerable  ease,  but  upon  difficult  occasions  he  ob 
tained  Tim's  assistance,  who  was  now  present  as  interpret 
er.  Ned  had  just  noted  down  his  observation  when  the 
king  asked  why  he  regarded  the  sun  and  the  stars  so  fre 
quently  ? 

"  Because,"  replied  Ned,  "  they  are  the  most  wonderful 
works  of  God ;  each  star  is  a  world ;  many  are  far  larger 
than  this  globe ;  some  revolve  around  certain  suns,  as  our 
earth  revolves  round  our  glorious  sun,  which  is  the  main 
spring  of  all  life." 

Tim  put  this  into  his  native  tongue,  and  the  king  made 
a  short  remark. 

"  What  does  he  say  ?"  asked  Ned. 

"  He  says,  <  Dat's  a  lie  !'  "  replied  Tim. 

At  this  flat  denial  of  the  planetary  system  Ned  felt  the 
impossibility  of  an  explanation.  He  accordingly  requested 
Tim  to  ask  the  king  for  his  opinion  regarding  the  sun.  The 
question  having  been  put,  the  king  consulted  the  sorcerers 
around  him,  and  after  an  animated  discussion  Tim  inter 
preted  his  reply : 

"  De  king  say,  Massa  Ned,  dere  no  such  ting  as  one  sun ; 
got  plenty  suns ;  ebery  morning  one  new  sun  come  up  out 
of  de  'arth  same  like  a  pumpkin ;  den  he  climb  up  do  sky 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  299 

all  day,  and  die  when  de  night  come,  and  bury  'sself  in  de 
ground." 

"And  what  does  he  think  of  the  moon  ?"  asked  Ned. 

After  considerable  discussion  between  the  sorcerers  and 
the  king,  Tim  replied  : 

"  De  king  say,  de  young  moon  come  very  thin  and  hun 
gry  up  in  de  sky ;  den  she  swaller  a  lot  of  stars  ebery  night 
and  grow  a  little  fat ;  den  at  last  she  swaller  too  many  stars 
and  swell  'sself  out  and  bust  herself  right  off  'xactly." 

"Tim,"  said  Ned,  solemnly,  "these  people  are  stupid 
creatures,  but  tell  them  that  there  shall  be  a  sign  in  six 
days  from  this  time  that  shall  teach  them  the  truth.  Tell 
them  that  the  Great  Spirit  who  made  all  things  shall  darken 
the  sun,  and  the  moon  shall  pass  across  its  face." 

"Massa  Ned,"  replied  Tim,  thoughtfuUy,  "p'raps  better 
not  tell  'em  dat  story ;  now  de  nigger  b'lieve  all  Massa  Ned's 
talk,  but  tell  'em  one  lie  den  upset  de  boat  'xactly  !" 

Ned  was  highly  amused  at  Tim's  honest  but  ignorant 
advice,  and  he  had  some  trouble  in  explaining  to  him  the 
nature  of  an  eclipse ;  but  when  at  length  he  showed  him 
the  exact  hour  in  the  "Nautical  Almanac"  at  which  the 
event  would  take  place  Tim  at  once  appreciated  the  import 
ance  of  the  phenomenon,  although  half  incredulous  of  the 
fact.  He  now  interpreted  Ned's  prophecy  that  at  the  ex 
piration  of  six  days  a  sign  should  be  seen  that  would  prove 
the  existence  of  the  Great  Creator,  as  the  sun  should  be 
darkened  at  midday. 

At  this  announcement  the  entire  crowd  raised  a  shout  of 
incredulity,  and  the  king  having  applied  to  his  sorcerers, 
who  shook  their  heads  in  derision,  turned  angrily  toward 
Ned  and  spoke  for  some  minutes  in  great  excitement. 

"  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim, "  better  not  tell  dat  kind  of  talk. 
De  king  very  angry;  look  what  he  say!  He  say:  'How  de 
white  man  dare  trow  de  dust  in  de  king's  eye  ?  Tell  him 


300  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

one  big  lie  like  dat  make  him  look  like  one  big  fool  'fore 
his  people  !'  Den  de  sorcerers  say,  *  Try  him  !  if  he  make 
de  sun  black,  all  right ;  if  he  not  make  de  sun  black,  kill 
him,  dat's  de  trick  !'  " 

At  this  moment  loud  murmurs  arose  among  the  crowd, 
and  the  king  rose  and  retired  with  his  sorcerers  without 
taking  the  slightest  notice  of  Ned.  The  sorcerers  had  al 
ways  been  jealous  of  Ned's  supremacy,  and  they  now  seized 
the  opportunity  of  prejudicing  the  king's  mind  against 
him ;  several  gave  advice  that  he  should  at  once  be  put  to 
death  for  having  attempted  to  deceive  by  so  gross  a  false 
hood;  but  the  king,  having  duly  considered  the  matter, 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  some  great  evil  might  befall 
the  country  should  he  take  Ned's  life  unjustly,  therefore  it 
would  be  wiser  to  await  the  time  when  the  phenomenon 
was  to  take  place.  Should  Ned's  prophecy  be  correct,  there 
could  be  no  doubt  that  he  was  a  wonderful  sorcerer ;  but 
should  it  fail,  he  would  be  an  impostor  who  should  be  just 
ly  punished.  In  the  mean  time  Ned  was  regarded  with 
great  suspicion. 

On  the  morning  of  the  promised  day  one  of  the  king's 
cows  had  twin  calves  at  sunrise ;  and  upon  the  intelligence 
being  received,  he  immediately  arose  in  astonishment,  and 
beat  his  huge  drum  to  summon  the  attendance  of  his  sor 
cerers  and  counsellors.  They  had  hardly  arrived  and  heard 
the  news  from  the  king's  own  mouth,  as  he  sat  upon  his 
leopard  skins  beneath  the  great  sycamore,  when  a  messen 
ger  rushed  in  haste  to  his  presence  and  informed  him  that 
one  of  his  wives  had  just  presented  him  with  twin  boys. 
Loud  murmurs  of  astonishment  were  raised  by  the  assem 
bled  crowd,  and  the  sorcerers  immediately  advised  the  king 
to  beat  the  drum  and  summon  the  whole  population  to  hear 
the  wonderful  news  that  the  favorite  cow  and  the  favorite 
wife  had  produced  twins  almost  in  the  same  hour.  Upon 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  301 

this  the  king  beat  the  drum,  and  every  headman  of  a  town 
quarter  replied  upon  his  drum,  which  general  summons  was 
almost  immediately  followed  by  a  crowd  of  people  who  col 
lected  from  all  quarters  and  sat  upon  the  ground,  complete 
ly  thronging  the  open  space  around  the  sycamore. 

The  king  now  addressed  the  multitude,  and  explained 
that  he  considered  this  unexpected  blessing  must  be  the  re 
sult  of  magic ;  that  the  white  man  had  promised  a  wonder 
ful  sign  upon  this  day,  when  the  moon  should  darken  the 
face  of  the  sun,  which  they  all  knew  must  be  impossible. 
If  indeed  this  should  take  place  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  he  was  the  greatest  sorcerer  that  had  ever  lived  ;  but 
if,  on  the  other  hand,  the  sun  should  remain  bright,  there 
could  be  little  doubt  that  the  birth  of  two  sets  of  twins  was 
a  sign  that  must  be  followed  by  the  death  of  the  white  man. , 
A  loud  cry  of  assent  from  some  thousand  voices  followed 
the  king's  address,  and  a  messenger  was  immediately  sent  to 
summon  the  attendance  of  Ned  and  Tim.  Upon  their  arrival 
the  decision  of  the  king  was  at  once  made  known  to  them. 

"  Dis  a  very  bad  job,  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim ;  "  a  foolish 
bus'ness  'xactly;  if  de  sun  not  turn  black,  dese  black  nig 
gers  kill  Massa  Ned.  What  can  do  to  change  dis  bus'ness, 
Massa  Ned  ?" 

"  Don't  be  afraid,  Tim,"  replied  Ned ;  "  the  eclipse  must 
take  place  between  noon  and  one  o'clock ;  we  shall  triumph 
if  you  translate  what  I  tell  you  without  flinching.  Tell  the 
king,"  continued  Ned,  as  he  rose  and  fixed  a  lance  perpen 
dicularly  in  the  ground,  "  that  before  the  shadow  shall  reach 
this  line  (which  he  marked  in  the  dust  with  his  foot)  the 
sun  will  be  darkened  ;  and  if  my  words  are  untrue  he  may 
drive  that  lance  through  my  body." 

With  much  reluctance  Tim  interpreted  the  ominous  sen 
tence,  which  was  received  by  the  king  and  the  crowd  in 
deep  silence. 


302  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

With  much  tact  Ned  then  demanded  of  the  king  that 
twenty  oxen  should  immediately  be  slaughtered  and  dis 
tributed  to  the  multitude  to  celebrate  the  occasion.  A  loud 
cheer  burst  from  the  crowd  at  this  demand,  and  the  king 
having  assented,  the  oxen  were  shortly  brought  to  the  spot 
and  slaughtered ;  at  the  same  time  a  huge  fire  was  lighted, 
and  long  strips  of  flesh  were  thrown  into  the  blaze  and  di 
vided  when  half  cooked  among  the  thousands  present. 

This  savage  feasting  consumed  the  interval,  and  twelve 
o'clock  arrived  by  the  time  that  the  remnants  were  cleared 
away  and  the  feast  was  over. 

Ned  now  rose  from  the  ground  and  drove  the  people 
from  the  spot  in  which  he  had  placed  the  lance,  while  he 
deepened  the  line  with  a  burned  stick  that  was  to  mark  the 
limit  of  the  shadow.  The  king  and  his  sorcerers  now  anx 
iously  watched  his  proceedings;  but  none  more  eagerly 
than  Tim,  who  dreaded  the  result  of  failure. 

At  first  the  lance  threw  no  shadow,  as  the  sun  was  ver 
tical;  but  slowly  the  dark  line  began  to  lengthen  toward 
the  east.  Many  of  the  crowd  now  stood  up  in  their  excite 
ment  to  watch  the  gradually  increasing  shadow,  while  some 
attempted  to  gaze  at  the  glaring  sun  that  shone  in  a  spot 
less  sky  with  a  power  that  appeared  unquenchable. 

The  time  passed  on,  and  the  shadow  of  the  lance  grew 
longer,  and  stretched  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  fatal  limit. 
Tim's  heart  beat  quick,  and  he  fixed  his  eyes  upon  Ned  in 
despair,  as  at  length  the  dark  line  extended  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  mark.  The  crowd  began  to  murmur,  and  the 
sorcerers  whispered  to  the  king  and  shook  their  heads  in 
derision  of  Ned's  presumption.  The  king's  features  as 
sumed  an  expression  of  angry  discontent  as  he  leaned  for 
ward  to  see  whether  the  shadow  had  reached  the  defined 
limit,  at  the  same  time  he  beckoned  to  a  huge  black  whom 
Ned  knew  to  be  his  principal  executioner.  This  brutal- 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  UEA.  303 

looking  fellow  advanced  with  a  rope  wound  round  his 
waist,  with  which  he  was  accustomed  to  tie  the  arms  of  his 
victims,  and  he  smiled  grimly  at  Ned,  as  though  he  con 
sidered  him  already  in  his  power. 

Ned  himself  began  to  fear  that  he  had  made  some  error 
in  the  calculation  of  the  hour,  as  the  shadow  of  the  lance 
almost  reached  the  line ;  when  a  sudden  gloom,  as  though  a 
passing  cloud,  caused  the  shadow  to  disappear.  Ned  sprang 
from  the  ground,  and  raising  his  extended  arms  toward  the 
heavens  he  invoked  the  protection  of  the  Almighty  in  a 
loud  clear  voice  that  produced  a  startling  effect  upon  the 
king.  The  gloom  increased,  and  shortly  a  black  shadow 
veiled  a  portion  of  the  sun,  and  a  dark  sphere  crept  slowly 
but  surely  over  its  disk.  It  was  like  the  dim  twilight  of 
evening  gradually  increasing  toward  darkness,  and  the  round 
black  object  could  now  be  seen  creeping  across  the  sun,  un 
til  merely  a  thin  crescent  of  its  light  remained. 

With  a  loud  cry  the  king  and  all  his  people  threw  them 
selves  upon  the  ground,  and  hid  their  faces  in  their  hands ; 
Ned  and  Tim  alone  remained  standing  amid  the  crowd  of 
prostrate  savages. 

"  Cry  out,  Tim,  in  your  loudest  voice,"  said  Ned :  "This 
is  the  work  of  the  Great  Spirit  that  the  white  man  serves ! 
this  is  the  hand  of  his  God  !" 

Tim  repeated  these  words  with  great  energy  in  the  na 
tive  tongue ;  the  whole  crowd  groaned  with  terror. 

"  Cry  out  again,  Tim,"  said  Ned :  "  Rise  up  and  the  sun 
will  regain  its  light !" 

At  these  words  the  king  arose  trembling,  together  with 
some  of  his  people ;  but  the  greater  number  still  remained 
prostrate  upon  the  earth.  Ned  then  approached  the  king, 
and  directed  his  attention  to  the  sun,  which  slowly  resumed 
its  brilliant  proportions  as  the  eclipse  passed  away. 

Turning  to  his  chief  executioner  the  king  gave  some  di- 


304  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

rections,  and  before  Ned  could  interfere  the  sorcerers  who 
had  advised  his  death  were  seized  and  strangled  upon  the 
spot,  and  their  bodies  were  dragged  outside  the  town  to  be 
devoured  by  the  hyenas  that  prowled  around  the  entrance 
during  the  night. 

The  king  and  all  his  people  were  now  thoroughly  con 
vinced  that  the  birth  of  the  double  twins  was  the  work  of 
Ned's  magic,  and  he  was  looked  upon  as  the  most  wonder 
ful  sorcerer  that  had  ever  been  known  :  thus  from  that  day 
he  had  the  highest  position  in  the  state,  and  he  was  hourly 
tormented  by  applicants  of  both  sexes  for  charms  and  tal 
ismans  against  every  imaginable  evil. 

With  all  this  influence  he  had  been  unable  to  inculcate 
the  true  ideas  of  religion  in  their  savage  minds.  Some  few 
indeed  professed  to  believe  in  the  Great  Spirit  that  had 
darkened  the  sun ;  but  the  death  of  a  goat  or  a  cow  was  in 
all  cases  sufficient  to  dispel  their  belief  in  a  God  who  allow 
ed  their  cattle  to  die. 

Prisoners  in  this  land  of  heathens,  and  apparently  cut  off 
from  the  rest  of  the  world  forever,  and  from  his  loved  home 
and  Edith,  we  must  leave  Ned  and  Tim  and  return  to  other 
scenes. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  305 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

FIVE  years  had  passed  away  since  the  memorable  day 
when  the  body  of  the  brave  Dick  Stone  had  been 
committed  to  the  waves,  and  the  dismasted  Polly  had  been 
towed  into  Falmouth  by  the  British  cruiser.  The  gallant 
defense  of  the  lugger  against  a  superior  force,  and  the  dex 
terous  escape  of  the  crew  from  a  French  prison  through  the 
intervention  of  Leontine,  had  made  a  great  sensation  at  a 
time  when  hardly  a  week  passed  in  England  without  some 
deed  of  daring  that  claimed  the  admiration  of  the  world. 
Leontine,  upon  her  arrival  in  Falmouth,  had  found  herself 
in  the  position  of  a  heroine  rather  than  a  prisoner,  and  upon 
her  devotion  and  brave  conduct  being  made  known  to  the 
authorities  she  was  rewarded  by  the  freedom  of  her  brother 
Victor,  who  was  in  the  Falmouth  jail.  It  was  a  happy  day 
for  Leontine  when  the  order  for  his  release  arrived,  and  she 
was  permitted  to  visit  the  prison  and  throw  herself  in  her 
brother's  arms  as  his  unexpected  deliverer.  She  had  been 
kindly  received  by  the  mayoress  of  the  town,  who  had  sup 
plied  her  with  clothes,  and  after  a  few  weeks'-delay  both  she 
and  her  brother,  with  other  French  prisoners,  were  forward 
ed  to  France  in  exchange  for  British  sailors  who  had  been 
captured  in  merchant  vessels. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  Leontine  had  been  rendered  hap 
py,  a  cloud  of  misery  had  shrouded  the  cottage  on  the  cliff 
at  Sandy  Cove.  The  few  men  who  had  remained  among 
the  Pollifs  crew  after  the  fatal  engagement  returned  to  the 
Cove  from  Falmouth,  and  the  wailing  of  women  in  the  lit- 


306  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

tie  village  for  husbands  and  sons  lost  in  the  action  was  the 
first  sound  that  had  struck  upon  Polly  Grey's  ears  a  few 
minutes  before  Joe  Smart  arrived  and  gently  broke  the 
dreadful  intelligence.  Paul  Grey  had  been  seen  to  fall  in 
the  heat  of  the  fight,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  his 
death. 

Polly  was  stunned  by  the  shock  of  this  overwhelming  af 
fliction  ;  her  heart  was  withered  by  the  blow,  as  all  the  fond 
hopes  with  which  she  had  comforted  herself  in  her  husband's 
absence  were  thus  crushed  forever.  It  was  long  before  she 
could  weep,  and  for  days  she  sat  upon  the  terrace-wall  and 
gazed  at  the  barren  sea,  as  though  she  still  hoped  that  the 
well-known  sail  would  reappear,  and  that  she  might  once 
more  clasp  her  arms  around  Paul's  neck.  She  would  then 
retire  to  her  cottage  and  open  the  drawers  and  look  at  the 
clothes  in  which  she  had  often  seen  him ;  every  thing  that 
he  had  worn  had  become  dear  to  her,  and  all  that  had  been 
his  was  now  sacred ;  there  was  the  red  woolen  comforter 
that  she  had  knitted  for  him,  and  this  she  took  in  her  hands, 
and  letting  it  fall  upon  the  ground  she  fell  upon  her  knees, 
and  burying  her  face  upon  the  bed,  she  sobbed  bitterly : 

"  O  God !  I  am  a  widow,  and  my  boy  Ned  is  also  pone  !" 
she  cried,  as  she  appealed  in  the  agony  of  her  grief  to  Him 
for  comfort. 

In  this  hour  of  deep  affliction  she  was  not  alone :  she  had 
a  devoted  friend  and  comforter  in  Edith,  who  loved  her 
fondly,  and  who  strove  with  affectionate  care  to  soothe  her 
distress.  Mrs.  Jones,  who  had  passed  through  a  similar  bit 
ter  trial,  showed  her  the  greatest  kindness,  and  it  was  re 
solved  that  the  cottage  at  Sandy  Cove  should  be  sold,  as  the 
scene  of  the  old  home  only  served  to  awaken  painful  recol 
lections. 

When  a  few  weeks  had  passed,  and  the  first  burst  of  grief 
Vvas  over,  Polly  mournfully  turned  her  thoughts  to  her  late 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  307 

husband's  affairs.  She  was  in  debt  to  Captain  Smart,  as  he* 
had  advanced  considerable  sums  to  liquidate  various  claims. 
She  therefore  proposed  that  all  the  effects,  together  with 
the  cottage,  should  be  sold,  and  that  the  Polly  should  be  put 
up  to  auction  at  Falmouth,  as  it  would  be  useless  to  enter 
upon  the  expense  of  the  necessary  repairs. 

It  went  to  Polly's  heart  to  part  with  Paul's  old  lugger ; 
but  as  Joe  Smart  was  her  counsellor,  and  he  declared  it  to 
be  positively  necessary,  she  at  length  decided,  and  it  was 
sold  at  Falmouth  for  £160. 

The  cottage  remained ;  and  this,  together  with  the  fur 
niture  and  nets,  etc.,  was  shortly  advertised  for  auction,  and 
upon  the  appointed  day  the  people  of  the  neighborhood  as 
sembled  at  the  sale.  Joe  Smart  was  not  only  the  active 
manager  of  the  affair,  but  he  had  determined  to  become  the 
purchaser  of  the  cottage,  which  would  thus  relieve  him  from 
the  unpleasantness  of  receiving  money  from  the  widow  of 
his  friend  Paul  for  sums  that  he  had  advanced.  He  there 
fore  outbid  the  highest  offer,  and  became  the  proprietor, 
not  only  of  the  cottage,  but  of  the  principal  articles  of  fur 
niture. 

When  all  the  little  property  was  realized  through  the 
care  and  industry  of  Joe  Smart,  Polly  found  herself  pos 
sessed  of  about  £300.  Although  the  interest  of  this  small 
sum  was  only  fifteen  pounds  a  year,  it  was  sufficient  for  her 
simple  wants,  as  she  resided  with  Mrs.  Jones  and  Edith  at 
the  rectory  as  one  of  their  family,  while  Captain  Smart  call 
ed  twice  a  week  to  arrange  the  accounts  of  the  estate. 

As  some  months  passed  by  Joe  Smart  appeared  to  find 
an  increase  of  business  that  claimed  a  greater  share  of  his 
attention ;  at  all  events  his  visits  became  more  frequent  at 
the  rectory,  and  Mrs.  Jones  felt  at  some  moments  qualms  of 
uneasiness  as  she  imagined  that  she  was  the  object  of  more 
than  his  ordinary  attention. 


308  VAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

Years  had  .passed,  and  the  widow,  Mrs.  Jones,  had  long 
since  thrown  off  her  weeds,  and  had  quite  resolved  that 
Captain  Smart's  constant  visits  to  the  rectory  were  directed 
specially  to  herself.  In  the  mean  time  Polly  Grey  had  nev 
er  forsaken  her  mourning;  although  saddened  in  manner, 
she  still  retained  the  sweetness  of  her  youth  with  much  of 
her  original  beauty ;  she  devoted  herself  chiefly  to  visiting 
the  poor  of  the  neighborhood,  and  attending  to  the  village 
school,  trusting  that  the  charitable  duties  of  life  would  af 
ford  pleasures  to  compensate  in  some  measure  for  a  past 
happiness  that  could  never  be  renewed.  The  world  might 
have  supposed  that  Polly  had  no  care  except  the  recollection 
of  old  times,  but  she  had  one  cause  of  deep  anxiety- — Joe 
Smart  loved  her.  She  was  the  love  of  his  boyhood,  and  he 
had  proved  his  affection  through  life  with  unvarying  devo 
tion  ;  he  had  been  her  adviser  and  guide  in  Paul's  absence ; 
and  since  his  death  she  was  under  countless  obligations  to 
him,  as  he  had  stood  more  in  the  position  of  a  brother  than 
a  friend.  Is  was  natural  that  Polly  should  regard  Joe  Smart 
with  warm  affection  :  on  the  other  hand,  although  he  loved 
her  with  devotion,  he  almost  dreaded  to  declare  his  feelings, 
lest  she  should  consider  that  she  was  forced  to  accept  him 
after  the  numerous  obligations  she  owed  to  him.  At  length 
the  warmth  of  his  passion  overcame  this  generous  delicacy 
of  feeling,  and  Joe  Smart  declared  his  love,  and  offered  her 
as  honorable  and  manly  a  heart  as  ever  beat  in  a  sailor's 
breast. 

It  was  with  real  sorrow  that  Polly  witnessed  the  effect 
of  her  refusal.  The  active  and  sprightly  Joe  Smart  became 
an  altered  man :  his  early  hopes  had  been  destroyed  by  her 
marriage  with  Paul,  and  with  unchanging  love  he  had  al 
most  worshiped  her ;  in  the  distress  of  her  widowhood  he 
had  been  her  comforter,  and  he  had  looked  forward  not  only 
to  complete  his  own  happiness  but  to  render  her  once  more 


CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA.  309 

joyous  by  making  her  his  wife.  Polly  had  received  his 
declaration  with  tender  regret,  and  she  had  gently  but  firm 
ly  assured  him  of  her  love  and  respect,  together  with  her 
deep  gratitude  for  all  the  acts  of  kindness  and  affection  that 
he  had  bestowed  upon  her  through  so  many  years ;  but  she 
implored  him  as  her  truest  friend  never  again  to  speak  of 
marriage,  as  she  was  determined  to  die  a  widow.  It  was  in 
vain  that  Joe  Smart  endeavored  to  change  her  determina 
tion.  Polly  loved  him  as  a  brother,  but  she  would  not  hear 
of  marriage.  She  had  frequently  declared  to  him  that  she 
was  happy  in  her  present  position,  and  that  she  considered 
it  to  be  her  duty  to  remain  a  widow.  She  cherished  Paul's 
memory  with  deep  affection,  and  she  loved  to  talk  with  Joe 
Smart  over  all  the  daring  acts  that  he  had  performed  in  his 
adventurous  life :  the  last  scene  of  his  bravery,  when  he  met 
his  death,  she  dwelt  upon  with  untiring  energy  and  pride, 
and  she  expressed  impatience  upon  only  one  point  —  for 
death,  that  she  might  join  him  once  more  in  heaven  and 
tell  him  how  true  and  devoted  she  had  been.  This  exam 
ple  of  her  affectionate  constancy  only  served  to  heighten 
Joe  Smart's  admiration  and  love,  and  although  firmly  re 
fused  he  still  hoped  that  at  some  future  time  she  would  re 
lent  and  sympathize  with  his  feelings.  In  the  mean  time, 
Mrs.  Jones  had  a  great  regard  for  the  handsome  one-armed 
sailor,  who  was  always  welcome  at  the  rectory,  and  was  re 
ceived  almost  as  a  member  of  the  family. 

In  this  manner  five  years  had  passed  away.  Polly  was 
now  a  handsome  woman  of  forty,  and  was  but  little  changed, 
but  there  was  one  in  whom  a  few  years  had  made  a  wonder 
ful  alteration.  It  was  on  a  fine  summer  Sabbath  that  Polly 
was  on  her  way  to  church  accompanied  by  a  lovely  girl 
about  twenty  years  of  age,  who  leaned  upon  her  arm  and 
shaded  her -with  her  parasol  from  the  glare  of  the  morning 
sun :  her  beautiful  complexion  and  large  blue  eyes  would 


310  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

alone  nave  made  her  striking,  but  her  regular  features  and 
the  peculiar  amiability  of  her  expression  rendered  Edith  a 
perfection  of  charms  that  is  rarely  seen. 

She  was  seated  between  her  mother  and  Polly  Grey.  It 
was  during  the  second  lesson,  when  the  church  was  per 
fectly  quiet,  a  somewhat  heavy  footstep  sounded  in  the 
aisle  as  a  person  entered  the  door  and  walked  straight  to 
ward  Squire  Stevens's  pew,  in  which  he  took  his  seat.  The 
old  squire  had  been  dead  for  some  years,  and  nothing  had 
been  heard  of  his  son.  The  action  between  the'  Sybille  and 
the  Forte  had  been  a  theme  of  glory  for  the  day ;  but  hav 
ing  been  duly  chronicled  among  other  brilliant  achievements 
of  the  navy  it  had  ceased  to  be  of  public  interest — the  dead 
had  been  mourned  for,  and  the  crape  had  long  since  been 
laid  aside :  and  as  the  Forte  had  never  been  heard  of,  she 
was  considered  to  have  been  lost  with  all  hands. 

Nothing  had  been  heard  of  Ned.  In  those  days  there 
was  no  regular  mail  from  India,  but  the  letters  for  England 
were  dispatched  by  the  first  vessel  that  chanced  to  sail ; 
thus  as  the  Forte  had  been  rapidly  repaired  she  was  the 
first  upon  the  list,  and  Ned  had  expected  to  bring  homo 
the  glad  tidings  of  his  arrival  in  person. 

Edith  had  never  forgotten  the  love  of  her  girlhood,  and 
although  time  and  altered  circumstances  had  so  far  modi 
fied  her  sorrow  at  Ned's  mysterious  disappearance  that 
she  had  ceased  to  be  absolutely  unhappy,  she  rigidly  exe 
cuted  her  promise,  and  every  Sunday  evening  she  strolled 
with  either  her  mother  or  Polly  Grey  through  the  church 
yard,  and  removed  the  weekly  weeds  from  the  -neatly-kept 
grave  beneath  the  cross  marked  "A  lady  unknown." 
Here  she  would  frequently  sit  and  recall  the  time  when 
Ned  sat  with  her  as  a  lovely  boy  and  talked  of  the  future 
with  the  enthusiasm  of  his  age;  and  then  a  blush  would 
tinge  her  cheek,  and  a  tear  for  an  instant  dim  her  eyes, 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  311 

when  she  thought  of  the  warm  kiss  he  had  given  her  at 
parting,  and  the  vows  that  the  determined  boy  had  made 
to  work  his  way  to  win  her. 

In  the  night  these  old  scenes  were  frequently  renewed 
in  dreams,  and  all  the  characters  that  were  associated  with 

y* 

Edith's  early  youth  reappeared  in  their  accustomed  places : 
her  father,  who  had  been  so  mysteriously  murdered,  she  had 
sometimes  seen  as  though  in  life ;  Ned  had  again  sat  by 
her  side  beneath  the  old  mulberry-tree  that  was  still  her 
favorite  haunt;  she  had  heard 'Nero's  bark  as  he  came 
bounding  toward  her ;  and  then,  in  wild  fitf  ulness,  the  char 
acters  had  become  confused  and  faded  into  nothingness  and 
mist,  through  which  sometimes  flitted  the  horrible  figure  of 
an  old  hag  that  resembled  Mother  Lee.  The  events  of  her 
youth  had  thus  left  a  somewhat  melancholy  impression  upon 
Edith's  character.  Although  so  beautiful,  she  was  utterly 
unconscious  of  her  attractions,  and  her  chief  happiness  de 
pended  upon  the  duties  of  her  daily  life.  Deeply  religious, 
without  appearing  to  be  so  except  in  her  general  conduct 
and  unostentatious  charity,  she  found  an  intense  pleasure  in 
ministering  to  the  wants  of  the  poor  in  her  neighborhood, 
by  whom  she  was  almost  adored.  Her  lighter  pleasures 
consisted  in  sketching  and  attending  to  her  flowers,  and  in 
charming  the  ears  of  all  who  heard  her  with  her  beautiful 
voice ;  for  of  all  accomplishments  Edith  shone  most  prom 
inently  in  music — in  fact,  many  of  the  poor  people  of  the 
village  declared  that  the  Church  Service  would  be  nothing 
without  Miss  Edith's  singing. 

At  the  time  that  the  stranger  took  his  seat  in  the  squire's 
pew  all  eyes  were  for  the  instant  turned  upon  him,  as  it  had 
long  been  vacant,  and  it  was  seldom  that  an  unknown  per 
son  of  the  upper  class  appeared  in  the  secluded  village.  He 
was  a  tall  and  powerful  man,  exceedingly  weather-beaten, 
with  a  face  bronzed  by  exposure  to  a  hot  sun,  and  much 


312  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

freckled ;  his  large  sandy  whiskers  gave  him  an  appearance 
of  advanced  manhood ;  but  upon  closer  observation  his  age 
might  have  been  guessed  at  twenty-two  or  three.  As  Edith 
for  a  moment  observed  him  she  could  not  help  thinking 
that  she  had  seen  his  face  before;  but  chasing  all  other 
thoughts  from  her  mind  she  directed  her  attention  to  the 
service  until  it  was  completed. 

When  the  throng  of  the  congregation  passed  down  the 
aisle  at  the  conclusion  of  the  sermon  Edith  remarked  that 
the  stranger's  eyes  were  filed  intently  upon  her ;  and  hard 
ly  had  she  quitted  the  church-yard  in  company  with  her 
mother  and  Polly  Grey  than  he  turned  round  and  approach 
ed  her,  and  stretching  out  his  rough  hand  in  a  familiar  man 
ner,  he  exclaimed, "  Edith  Jones,  have  you  forgotten  me  ?" 

Edith  paused,  and  without  accepting  his  hand  she  exam 
ined  his  features  for  a  few  moments,  and  replied,  "  I  hope 
you  will  forgive  my  want  of  memory.  I  think  I  may  have 
.seen  you  before,  but  I  can  not  recall  the  occasion." 

At  that  instant  a  peculiar  unpleasant  expression  passed 
over  the  stranger's  face,  and  Edith  immediately  recognized 
Jem  Stevens. 

She  could  no  longer  withhold  her  hand,  which  he  press 
ed  warmly  as  he  exclaimed  to  her  mother,  "  I  am  your  old 
school-boy,  Jem  Stevens,  Mrs.  Jones  !" 

The  latter  lady  looked  at  him  for  some  moments  with 
astonishment,  and  then  grasped  his  hand  warmly. 

"  How  wonderful !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jones.  "  Why,  it's 
only  the  other  day,  not  seven  years  ago,  that  you  left  us  a 
mere  boy!  and  you  look  fi  ve-and- twenty !  and  your  poor 
father's  dead !  and  the  Hall's  empty !  and  all  sorts  ,  of 
changes  have  taken  place  !  My  poor  husband  too  !  but  of 
course  you  know.  But  no,  let  me  see,  I  don't  suppose  you 
do.  How  should  you  ?  You  have  been  away  from  England 
all  this  time,  haven't  you?  When  did  you  come  back? 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  313 

Come  along  with  us  and  lunch  at  the  rectory,  and  tell  us  all 
about  yourself !"  continued  the  voluble  and  impatient  Mrs. 
Jones,  who  overwhelmed  him  with  a  string  of  questions 
without  giving  him  time  to  reply. 

Now  if  Mrs.  Jones's  thoughts  could  have  been  analyzed 
as  they  rapidly  passed  through  her  mind,  they  would  have 
discovered  a  natural  instinct  that  she  would  have  at  once 
denied  had  the  fact  been  asserted.  It  really  did  occur  to 
the  mother  in  one  moment  that  Hgron  Hall  would  be  no  bad 
home  for  Edith!  In  another  moment  she  reflected  that 
Stevens  had  been  a  bad  character  when  at  school ;  and  sub 
sequently,  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  she  concluded  that 
he  must  have  changed  for  the  better,  and  she  therefore  ask 
ed  him  to  lunch.  Stevens  accepted  the  invitation  without 
the  slightest  hesitation,  and  offering  his  arm  to  Mrs.  Jones 
while  listening  to  her  long  list  of  questions  and  her  rambling 
conversation,  he  accompanied  them  to  the  rectory. 

During  luncheon  Stevens  made  himself  unusually  agree 
able  to  Mrs.  Jones,  and  gave  her  a  long  description  of  his 
voyages,  and  of  the  engagement  between  the  Sybille  and  the 
Forte,  in  which  he  described  his  own  prowess  as  having  in 
no  small  measure  contributed  to  the  victory.  Mrs.  Jones 
was  charmed;  and  when  he  narrated  the  subsequent  ship 
wreck  of  the  prize,  and  the  destruction  of  all  the  crew  with 
the  exception  of  those  saved  in  the  cutter,  which  he  de 
clared  he  was  the  last  man  to  enter,  the  amiable  but  weak 
lady  was  moved  to  tears.  Stevens  then  described  the  voy 
age  of  the  cutter  to  Madagascar,  where  the  crew  and  him 
self  were  made  captives  by  the  natives,  until,  after  years  of 
suffering,  he  was  at  length  released  by  a  Portuguese  trad 
ing-vessel  that  took  him  to  Zanzibar,  whence  he  had  only 
arrived  on  the  preceding  evening. 

There  was  much  in  the  story  of  his  adventures  that  in 
terested  Edith,  but  she  little  knew  how  much  that  would 

O 


314  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

have  been  dear  to  her  he  had  as  yet  concealed.  He  said 
not  one  word  of  Ned. 

"  What  a  wonderful  change !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Jones,  as 
Stevens  took  his  departure  late  in  the  afternoon.  "  I  never 
could  have  believed  that  so  bad  a  boy  would  have  turned 
out  so  nice  a  man ;  he  is  really  a  charming  young  man  !  and 
so  clever  !  and  evidently  so  very  truthful !  There  was  some 
thing  in  his  way  of  telling  his  stories  that  seemed  to  assure 
one  of  their  truth.  Well,"  continued  the  enraptured  Mrs. 
Jones,  "  as  your  poor  father,  Edith,  used  to  say,  *  When  the 
wicked  man  turneth  away  from  his  wickedness'  (and  of 
course  that  meant  the  boy,  as  men  are  only  bigger  boys), 
*  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive.'  He  was  quite  right.  This  is 
a  wonderful  instance  of  the  works  of  Providence,  my  dear 
child,  that  you  should  observe  attentively.  How  changed  ! 
He  is  a  very  nice  young  man !  so  very  gentlemanly !  and  so 
good-natured  for  a  man  who  has  fought  the  French,  and 
seen  so  much  of  the  world.  Not  at  all  proud  or  stuck  up ; 
and  remembered  you,  Edith,  directly,  and  me,  too ;  but  of 
course  a  few  years  make  no  difference  at  my  age ;  as  Cap 
tain  Smart  remarked  the  other  day,  'An  Englishwoman 
never  begins  to  look  her  best  till  she  is  turned  forty.'  A 
very  clever  man  is  Captain  Smart ;  very  sound  judgment ; 
if  he  only  had  another  arm  there  would  be  no  one  like  him. 
Then,  you  see,  Heron  Hall  and  a  very  good  fortune  belong 
to  him,  now  his  father's  dead.  I  don't  mean  to  Captain 
Smart,  as  he  died,  or  rather  his  father  died,  long  ago,  but  I 
mean  Stevens,  as  we  used  to  call  him,  Jem  Stevens.  James 
is  a  very  pretty  name ;  one  of  the  apostles  was  called  James ; 
I  wonder  whether  they  ever  called  him  Jem  ?  I  hate  ab 
breviations,  but  Jem  is  not  so  very  ugly;  not  so  bad  as 
Ned,  for  instance,"  said  the  discursive  Mrs.  Jones,  thought 
fully. 

"  Ned  an  ugly  name  !     I  \v-ould  not  wish  for  a  prettier  !'' 


CAST   UP  BY   THE ^  SEA.  315 

exclaimed  Edith.     "  Edward  is  quite  beautiful,  and  Ned  is 
a  lovable  name,  I  think." 

At  this  juncture  Polly  Grey  joined  in  the  conversa 
tion  and  warmly  supported  Edith,  until  the  argument  grew 
hot,  and  only  terminated  by  each  retaining  her  own  opin 
ion. 

From  that  day  Stevens's  visits  to  the  rectory  became  fre 
quent.  By  a  little  judicious  flattery  he  had  succeeded  in 
captivating  Mrs.  Jones ;  and  as  Edith,  when  a  girl,  had  been 
the  love  of  his  boyhood,  he  shortly  found  himself  hopelessly 
smitten  with  her  now  ripened  charms. 

Edith  was  fond  of  riding ;  and  as  she  daily  cantered  her 
pony  along  the  springy  green  turf  above  the  cliff  by  the 
sea-side,  she  was  invariably  met  by  Stevens,  who  joined  her 
in  her  ride.  After  some  months  the  object  of  Jem  Stevens's 
visits  to  the  rector^  had  become  unmistakable.  He  had  of 
fered  Edith  a  beautiful  horse,  which  she  would  have  de 
clined,  but  her  mother  had  insisted  upon  her  acceptance  of 
the  present. 

Polly  Grey  had  watched  the  growing  intimacy  with 
anxiety.  She  had  no  fear  that  Edith  would  lose  her  heart, 
but  she  was  much  afraid  that  the  folly  of  Mrs.  Jones  would 
compromise  her  by  giving  Stevens  an  undue  encourage 
ment.  She  accordingly  took  an  opportunity  of  speaking  to 
Edith  on  the  subject,  and  the  innocent  girl  was  startled  at 
the  idea  that  she  would  be  expected  to  return  Jem  Stevens's 
love. 

On  the  other  hand,  Mrs.  Jones  was  determined  that,  if 
possible,  the  match  should  come  off.  She  had  really  learn 
ed  to  like  Stevens ;  and  as  he  was  the  great  landed  propri 
etor  of  the  neighborhood,  and  Heron  Hall  was  a  fine  old 
place,  she  considered  that  it  would  be  a  very  desirable  mar 
riage  for  her  daughter:  accordingly  she  one  day  placed 
the  matter  clearly  before  Edith's  view. 

v 


316  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

It  was  late  in  the  autumn ;  and  as  Edith  and  her  mother 
were  returning  from  their  evening  walk  they  were  met  by 
a  gamekeeper,  who  had  been  sent  by  the  young  squire  with 
a  leash  of  pheasants  for  Mrs.  Jones. 

"  Really,  my  dear  Edith,"  said  Mrs.  Jones,  as,  after  hav 
ing  thanked  the  keeper,  she  passed  on,  "  I  do  not  think  that 
I  ever  saw  a  more  lovable  young  man  than  James  Stevens 
has  become." 

Edith  said  nothing. 

After  a  pause  her  mother  continued,  "I  think  ho  is  a 
deeply  religious  young  man,  and  you  know,  my  child,  that 
your  sainted  father  was  partial  to  religious  young  men." 

Edith  still  remained  silent. 

"  I  think,  my  dear  Edith,"  continued  Mrs.  Jones,  im 
pressively,  "  I  think — that  is  to  say,  I  do  not  think,  for  I 
feel  perfectly  convinced — that  the  good  and  amiable,  the 
warm-hearted  and  deeply  religious,  James  Stevens,  who  is 
now  the  proprietor  of  the  Heron  Hall  estate,  comprising,  I 
believe,  about  5000  acres,  is  an  unhappy  man." 

"  Unhappy  !"  replied  Edith,  "  what  should  make  him  so  ? 
Surely  he  has  enough  of  the  world's  riches  to  be  happy. 
He  is  young,  and  has  no  cares.  What  can  you  mean, 
mother  ?" 

"  I  mean,"  said  Mrs.  Jones,  "  that  he  is  in  love.  I  can 
see  it  in  his  manner  ;  he  is  nervous,  Edith.  You  should  be 
kind  to  him.  Your  poor  father  was  nervous,  and  I  believe 
he  never  would  have  proposed  at  all  had  I  not  given  him 
some  slight  assistance.  Not  that  I  was  too  forward,  quite 
the  contrary  ;  but  some  men  require  that  particular  kind  of 
courage,  although  brave  in  other  respects.  James  Stevens 
requires  assistance,  my  dear  child ;  you  alone  can  afford  it ; 
you  would  make  him  a  happy  man.  Think  what  a  blessing 
it  would  be  to  confer  happiness  upon  a  fellow-creature,  .  .  . 
especially  with  a  large  landed  estate  in  our  immediate  neigh- 


CAST  UP  BY  THE  SEA.  317 

borhood,"  added  Mrs.  Jones,  who  had  wound  herself  up  to 
a  pitch  of  enthusiasm. 

Although  Edith  loved  her  mother,  she  was  not  blind  to 
her  peculiarities,  and  she  had  long  suspected  that  she  favor 
ed  the  suit  of  Jem  Stevens.  Edith  was  more  sensible  than 
most  girls  of  her  age,  and  she  well  remembered  the  charac 
ter  that  he  had  borne  at  school.  She  had  often  heard  her 
father  remark  that  "the  boy  was  the  father  of  the  man," 
and  she  thoroughly  believed  in  the  theory  that  the  man  was 
merely  an  older  boy  with  the  same  natural  character,  per 
haps  in  some  instances  modified  by  circumstances  :  thus,  al 
though  Stevens  was  much  improved,  and  made  himself  as 
agreeable  as  most  men,  she  could  not  persuade  herself  to 
trust  him.  Even  had  she  liked  him,  there  was  a  something 
which  Edith  could  hardly  have  defined  in  the  fond  recol 
lection  of  younger  days,  when  her  girlish  heart  had  loved 
Ned  Grey.  The  mystery  of  his  disappearance  had  given  a 
romantic  interest  to  his  name,  which,  although  half  forgot 
ten  by  many,  was  warmly  remembered  by  her,  and  if  she 
did  not  consider  herself  absolutely  bound  by  the  vows  of  a 
childish  affection,  she  could  at  present  feel  no  other.  She 
did  not  positively  dislike  Stevens,  at  the  same  time  she  had 
no  confidence  in  her  mother's  judgment.  Accordingly  she 
replied  cautiously  to  her  enthusiastic  remarks. 

"  My  dear  mother,"  said  Edith,  "  I  can  not  think  that 
you  are  serious.  James  Stevens  has  never  said  any  thing 
that  would  allow  me  to  presume  that  I  had  gained  his  af 
fection,  neither  should  I  wish  for  his  love.  Although  he  is 
certainly  much  changed  and  improved,  I  can  never  forget 
his  conduct  when  a  boy,  and  his  unmanly  hatred  of  poor 
Ned  Grey.  I  do  not  believe  that  boys  really  change  in  char 
acter  when  they  become  men.  They  may  be  too  clever  and 
cunning  to  exhibit  their  true  feelings,  but  the  heart  remains 
the  same." 


JJ1S  CAST    UJL    BY   THE  SEA. 

"  Edith,  my  dear,"  replied  her  mother,  "  you  can  not  pos 
sibly  know  any  thing  about  men's  hearts,  therefore  your  re 
marks  are  sheer  nonsense.  You  must  be  guided  by  me  in 
these  matters.  Do  you  not  believe  in  conversion  ?  Was 
not  St.  Paul  converted  ?  and  did  he  not  become  one  of  the 
most  faithful  apostles?  St.  Paul  must  have  been  an  ex 
ceedingly  bad  boy,  if  he  ever  was  a  boy,  for  we  hear  noth 
ing  about  his  having  been  a  boy  in  the  "New  Testament,  and 
I  believe  nothing  except  what  is  written  in  the  Holy  Book ; 
but  anyhow,  he  was  converted :  therefore,  why  should  not 
James  Stevens  also  have  changed  in  disposition — especially 
now  that  he  has  succeeded  his  father  to  the  estate?" 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  are  right,  mother  dear,"  re 
plied  Edith,  who  knew  that  contradiction  would  be  useless  ; 
"  but  I  have  not  the  heart  to  love  any  man.  In  fact,  I  never 
did  feel  an  affection  of  that  nature,  except — '  Edith  hesi 
tated. 

"  Except  what  ?  when  ?  who  ?"  asked  Mrs,  Jones  in  the 
same  breath. 

"  Except  long  ago.  I  was  very  fond  of  poor  Ned.  lie 
was  only  a  boy  of  fifteen,  and  I  a  girl;  but  those  were  very 
happy  days.  Oh,  mother !  what  can  have  become  of  Ned  ; 
I  so  often  think  of  him,  and  wonder  whether  he  was 
drowned,  poor  boy,  with  my  dear  old  Nero  and  the  negro 
Tim,  on  that  day  when  they  walked  on  the  beach  beneath 
the  cliffs  and  the  tide  came  in  !" 

"  It  is  a  dreadful  mystery  indeed,"  said  Mrs.  Jones  ;  "  but 
life  is  full  of  mysteries,  my  dear.  For  my  part,  I  have  al 
ways  believed  that  he  was  drowned,  since  I  changed  my 
mind  about  his  complicity  in  your  father's  death." 

"That  idea  was  too  absurd,  mother.  My  dear  father,  I 
know,  wished  to  give  me  some  advice  about  Ned  Grey  at 
his  last  moment,  but  he  had  no  strength  to  complete  the 
sentence.  I  have  often  thought  of  that  sad  night  since  I 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  319 

have  been  more  able  to  form  an  opinion,  and  I  feel  sure  that 
my  father  knew  that  I  loved  Ned,  and  he  would  have  spoken 
to  me  about  him." 

"  Well,  my  dear,  he  would,  I  am  sure,  have  said  it  was 
a  very  foolish  thing  for  two  mere  children  to  talk  of  such 
nonsense  as  love ;  and  as  to  Ned  Grey,  a  poor  little  found 
ling,  what  in  the  world  could  he  expect?  He  was  a  good 
boy  certainly,  but  there  are  plenty  of  good  boys.  Now  a 
good  position  in  life  is  of  great  importance  to  a  woman, 
and  a  good  boy  has  seldom  a  good  position." 

"  Poor  Ned !"  sighed  Edith ;  "  the  last  time  that  I  saw 
him  his  fine  honest  face  brightened  up,  and  his  large  blue 
eyes  sparkled  like  fire,  as  he  vowed  that  he  would  win  a 
position  worthy  of  me.  I  can  see  him  now ;  that  manly  and 
generous  heart  that  could  think  no  evil,  and  would  even 
have  -forgiven  Jem  Stevens,  and  have  made  him  his  friend, 
if  it  had  been  possible  to  soften  such  a —  Oh,  mother  !" 
continued  Edith,  "  do  not  talk  to  me  of  Stevens  !  When  I 
look  back  to  the  past  and  compare  him  to  dear  Ned  Grey, 
and  think  what  he  would  say  were  he  alive  and  knew  that 
you  counselled  me  to  love  his  enemy,  I  feel  unworthy  of 
him,  and  almost  despise  myself  that  I  could  listen  to  such 
advice." 

The  color  had  rushed  to  Edith's  cheek,  and  the  tears  to 
her  eyes,  as  she  thus  compared  the  past  with  the  present, 
and  clung  with  fervor  to  the  warm  feelings  of  her  youthful 
days.  "  No,  mother,"  she  continued,  "  I  should  be  grieved 
to  displease  you,  but  my  heart  is  my  own,  and  I  can  not 
give  it  to  Ned's  enemy." 

Although  Mrs.  Jones  was  a  weak  woman,. she  was  not 
devoid  of  a  certain  amount  of  tact ;  and  upon  seeing  that 
Edith  was  not  in  the  humor  to  be  driven,  she  wisely  deter 
mined  to  postpone  her  attack  until  a  more  favorable  oppor 
tunity  :  at  the  same  time,  with  a  pertinacity  peculiar  to  her 


320  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

sex,  she  was  resolved  not  to  give  up  her  point,  as  she  had 
persuaded  herself  that  the  match  with  James  Stevens,  of 
Heron  Hall,  would  be  exceedingly  satisfactory.  There  were 
several  families  in  the  neighborhood  who  were  anxious  that 
their  daughters  should  be  intimate  with  Stevens ;  thus,  al 
though  Mrs.  Jones  would  not  have  confessed  it  to  herself, 
she  had  a  feeling  of  pride  that  would  have  delighted  in  their 
disappointment,  should  Edith  triumph  in  the  love-match. 
She  accordingly  closed  the  conversation  with  the  following 
remarks,  which  were  really  sincere :  ."Y.-. . 

"  My  only  child  Edith,  do  not  worry  yourself  when  there 
is  no  cause ;  my  only  wish  is  to  see  you  happy,  and  I  advise 
you  in  order  to  insure  your  happiness  as  far  as  I  can  fore 
see.  I  do  not  press  you  to  love  James  Stevens ;  but  as  I 
feel  sure  that  he  loves  you,.  I  give  you  timely  warning  with 
the  advice  that  you  should  at  all  events  not  throw  cold  wa 
ter  upon  his  attentions.  You  may  like  him  more  when  you 
know  him  better ;  and  as  to  his  having  been  Ned  Grey's 
enemy,  why,  I  feel  sure,  had  he  lived,  James  Stevens  would 
now  have  been  his  friend." 

On  their  arrival  at  the  rectory  Edith  had  a  long  conver 
sation  with  Polly,  whom  she  regarded  as  a  second  mother, 
but  upon  whose  opinion  she  placed  a  much  higher  value 
than  upon  that  of  Mrs.  Jones.  It  was  natural  that  Polly 
Grey  should  regard  Stevens  with  suspicion,  as.  she  had  heard 
much  of  his  character  in  former  days  from  Ned ;  but  on 
the  other  hand,  as  she  felt  convinced  that  Ned  had  been 
drowned  by  the  rising  tide,  she  had  no  feeling  of  jealousy 
should  Edith  form  a  suitable  engagement  with  another  per 
son.  Had  Ned  been  alive,  a  marriage  between  him  and 
Edith,  whom  she  dearly  loved,  would  have  been  the  joy  of 
her  heart.  She  knew  that  Stevens's  position  in  life  would 
be  considered,  in  a  worldly  sense,  as  an  excellent  match  for 
Edith  ;  but  she  was  unable  to  give  her  other  advice  than  to 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.'  321 

wait  patiently  until  she  should  feel  assured,  not  only  of  Ste- 
vens's  sincere  affection,  but  of  his  altered  character. 

Not  long  after  this  conversation  Mrs.  Jones  took  an  op 
portunity  of  sounding  Stevens  upon  his  intentions ;  he  at 
once  declared  his  love  for  Edith,  which  he  asserted  had  nev 
er  varied  since  the  time  when  he  was  a  boy  at  school.  He 
expressed  his  regret  at  the  bad  conduct  of  his  younger  days, 
and  showed  such  contrition  for  the  past  that  he  entirely  won 
the  heart  of  the  weak  Mrs.  Jones,  who  thereupon  explained 
to  him  the  state  of  Edith's  feelings  respecting  Ned  Grey, 
and  the  resentment  that  she  felt  toward  him  as  his  former 
enemy :  could  that  dislike  be  overcome,  she  did  not  doubt 
that  in  a  short  time  Edith's  heart  would  soften  toward  him. 

At  this  intelligence  Jem  Stevens  turned  deadly  pale,  which 
Mrs.  Jones  attributed  to  the  violence  of  his  affection ;  and 
hastily  filling  a  glass  of  cordial  from  the  sideboard,  she  in 
sisted  upon  his  swallowing  it,  which,  as  it  was  an  excellent 
mixture  of  French  brandy  and  bitters,  he  did  without  a  mo 
ment's  hesitation. 

A  few  days  after  this  explanation,  Stevens,  who  daily  rode 
over  to  the  rectory,  found  himself  alone  with  Edith  in  the 
drawing-room.  She  had  been  singing  at  the  piano  with  such 
exquisite  sweetness  of  voice  and  taste  in  execution  that  even 
Stevens  appeared  to  be  touched  with  the  softening  spirit  of 
her  music.  Mrs.  Jones  had  prudently  left  the  room,  and  as 
Stevens  was  standing  by  Edith's  side,  as  though  enraptured 
by  her  song,  he  gently  took  her  hand  and  raised  it  to  his 
lips ;  at  the  same  time  he  said, 

"  Forgive  me,  dearest  Edith,  but  the  fault  is  yours  if  I  am 
wrong ;  your  song  has  driven  me  from  my  senses  !  I  can 
conceal  it  no  longer  !  I  love  you  to  distraction  !  Say  that  I 
may  love  you,  and  do  not  make  me  miserable  by  a  refusal !" 

At  this  sudden  declaration  Edith  hastily  withdrew  her 
hand  from  Stevens's  grasp,  and,  rising  from  the  piano,  she  re- 


322  CAST   UP  BJ   THE  SEA. 

garded  him  fixedly  and  blushed  deeply  while,  with  a  trem 
bling  but  decided  voice,  she  said, 

"  I  can  not  say  who  you  may  or  may  not  love,  Stevens ; 
I  have  known  you  many  years,  and  I  used  to  think  that  you 
loved  no  one  but  yourself." 

"  Dearest  Edith !"  exclaimed  Stevens,  "  pardon  me  for 
the  faults  of  my  boyhood.  I  acknowledge  that  I  was  often 
wrong  and  bad.  Say  what  you  will,  and  I  will  bear  any  thing 
from  your  lips  except  a  word  of  coldness  !  Those  days  arc 
long  since  past.  Try  me  in  every  way,  and  see  if  I  am  not 
changed ;  only  in  one  thought  and  feeling  I  am  the  same,  I 
always  loved  you  when  a  boy,  and  I  love  you  now  dearer 
than  ever,  Edith  !" 

Edith  was  for  some  moments  silent;  then,  fixing  her 
large  blue  eyes  upon  Stevens  as  though  to  read  his  inmost 
heart,  she  said  in  a  calm,  low  voice,  as  though  she  had  screw 
ed  her  courage  determinedly  to  the  task, 

"  James  Stevens,  there  shall  be  no  misunderstanding  be 
tween  us  ;  we  have  known  each  other  too  long  for  unneces 
sary  concealment.  You  say  that  you  loved  me  when  a  boy  : 
I  did  not  love  you,  Stevens,  but  I  did  love  Ned  Grey — the 
good,  generous,  dear  Ned  Grey — whom  you  hated.  If  Ned 
Grey  were  alive,  I  would  love  no  other ;  if  he  were  poor,  I 
am  rich,  and  I  should  esteem  his  love  as  of  more  value  than 
wealth  or  titles.  I  should  consider  it  an  honor  to  be  loved 
by  one  so  good  and  true,  so  brave,  and  so  incapable  of  a 
mean  action  as  was  poor  Ned  Grey,  your  enemy !" 

As  Edith  said  this  with  almost  fierce  energy,  her  voice 
choked  with  emotion  toward  the  latter  part  of  the  sentence ; 
then,  almost  overpowered  with  her  excited  feelings,  she  con 
tinued  bitterly,  "  Oh,  why  did  you  hate  him  ?  Why  did  you 
hate  all  that  was  good  and  true  ?  one  whom  all  loved  ?  one 
who  tried  to  be  your  friend  ?  one  whom  I  loved,  and  now 
you  ask  me  to  love  you  f  Oh,  Stevens,  Stevens,  we  had  bet  - 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  323 

ter  say  no  more ;  you  have  mistaken  your  own  feelings  !" 
Edith  hid  her  face  in  her  hands  to  conceal  her  emotion. 

Stevens  turned  a  ghastly  white,  and  trembling  from  head 
to  foot,  he  suddenly  seized  both  her  hands,  and  drawing  them 
from  her  face  while  he  held  them  firmly  in  his  grasp,  he  said 
in  a  hoarse  voice,  with  intense  earnestness,  "  Look  at  me, 
Edith ;  look  at  me,  and  forgive  me.  If  you  loved  Ned  Grey, 
I  have  a  secret  that  will  distress  you,  although  it  will  be  a 
comfort." 

The  blush  that  had  overspread  her  features  suddenly  van 
ished,  and  a  deadly  pallor  that  turned  her  beautifully  chis 
elled  face  to  marble  seized  upon  her.  Releasing  her  hands 
from  his  grasp,  she  caught  him  by  the  arm.  "  Speak!"  she 
cried,  in  a  deep,  unnatural  voice ;  "twhat  secret  can  Ned's 
enemy  know  that  he  has  concealed  till  now  ?" 

"  I  am  not  his  enemy,"  said  Stevens,  who  looked  like  a 
man  guilty  of  murder.  "  I  was  his  friend.  It  is  now  near 
ly  six  years  ago  that  I  was  on  board  the  Sybille.  We  had 
left  Plymouth  the  day  before,  and  were  bound  for  India. 
We  lay  to  off  this  coast  to  send  a  boat  ashore  with  our  last 
letters  :  it  landed  near  Sandy  Cove.  When  it  returned,  two 
lads  had  been  found  upon  the  beach,  and  the  boat's  crew 
had  kidnapped  and  pressed  them  into  the  service.  A  black 
dog  was  with  them.  The  lads  were  Ned  Grey  and  the  ne 
gro  Tim  ;  the  dog  was  Nero." 

Edith  stared  wildly  at  Stevens,  and  sighed  deeply.  "  Go 
on,"  she  said  calmly,  but  despairingly. 

"  Ned  was  in  distress,  as  he  had  no  means  of  communica 
tion  with  home.  The  ship  sailed  to  India.  We  fought  a 
French  frigate,  the  Forte,  which  I  have  before  described  to 
you  :  Ned  distinguished  himself  in  the  action,  and  he  was 
sent  to  England  in  the  prize  with  myself.  As  you  know, 
she  was  wrecked.  I  have  never  dared  to  tell  you  his  fate, 
as  I  thought  it  better  to  let  it  remain  a  mystery.  When  the 


324  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ship  was  wrecked,  I  saw  him  and  the  negro  swimming  in 
the  surf.  I  stretched  out  an  oar  from  the  boat  to  save  him ; 
at  that  moment  a  tremendous  wave  rolled  over  him,  and 
neither  he  nor  the  negro  appeared  on  the  surface  again.  We 
rowed  for  some  time  backward  and  forward  in  hopes  of 
finding  him  at  the  risk  of  swamping  the  boat,  but  we  saw 
no  more ;  both  he  and  the  negro  were  drowned." 

Edith  sank  upon  her  knees,  and  clutching  vainly  at 
something  for  support,  she  fell  stretched  upon  the  floor. 

For  the  moment  Stevens  thought  she  was  dead,  and,  ter 
rified  at  the  result  of  his  story,  he  rang  the  bell  violently, 
and  then  endeavored  to  place  her  upon  the  sofa.  In  a  few 
moments  the  house  was  in  a  state  of  excitement.  Edith's 
mother,  Polly  Grey,  and  several  servants,  were  endeavoring 
to  restore  animation.  Some  time  elapsed  before  Edith  re 
covered  sufficiently  to  be  supported  to  her  room,  when,  as 
her  mother  was  questioning  Stevens  below  stairs,  she  threw 
her  arms  around  Polly's  neck  and  gave  way  to  a  burst  of 
grief.  When  sufficiently  calm  to  speak  she  described  the 
dreadful  story  in  a  voice  broken  by  deep  sobs,  and  Polly 
Grey  became  overwhelmed  with  sorrow. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  S£A.  325 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

A  FEW  weeks  after  the  supposed  fate  of  Ned  Grey  had 
been  described  by  Stevens,  Mrs.  Jones,  who  had  felt 
deeply  for  her  daughter,  endeavored  to  renew  the  topic 
that  was  nearest  to  her  heart. 

"  A  very  gallant  act,  my  dear,  of  James  Stevens  !  In 
deed  it  was  an  act  of  generous  devotion ;  he  risked  his  own 
life,  and  nearly  swamped  the  boat,  to  save  poor  Ned.  Ho 
was  Ned  Grey's  friend,  no  doubt ;  or,  if  he  were  his  enemy, 
the  act  was  doubly  generous.  Sailors  are  always  gallant 
fellows !  I  am  glad  that  Stevens  was  a  sailor.  Should  I 
ever  marry  again,  I  should  like  to  have  a  husband  of  that 
profession."  Here  Mrs.  Jones  thought  of  Captain  Smart. 
At  the  same  time  she  continued, 

"  You  should  make  up  your  mind,  Edith,  my  child ;  if 
you  loved  Ned,  you  are  under  an  obligation  to  Stevens  for 
his  brave  attempt  to  rescue  liim.  I  am  sure  that  the  rea 
son  of  his  long  silence  upon  Ned's  fate  was  his  excessive 
modesty:  he  was  over  -  sensitive,  and  feared  to  extol  him 
self.  Your  poor  father  used  to  say  in  Latin  that { modesty 
was  a  good  sign  in  a  young  man.'  I  believe  this  is  in  the 
Latin  grammar.  I  wonder  they  said  nothing  about  mod 
esty  in  young  women ;  perhaps  the  grammar  was  only 
written  for  boys'  schools.  However,  I  am  sure  that  James 
Stevens  is  a  very  modest  young  man,  and  I  confess  that  I 
should  like  him  as  a  son-in-law.  Think  it  over,  my  dear 
child  ;  forget  the  past  as  much  as  possible.  We  should 
always  endeavor  to  escape  from  painful  recollections ;  we 


326  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

should  look  forward,  and  not  back.  Ned  Grey  was  a 
charming  boy :  a  gentleman  born,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
I  always  thought  so  from  the  moment  that  I  saw  his  lovely 
mother's  corpse;  but  then  he  would  have  had  an  up-hill 
life,  full  of  cares  and  troubles.  Death  has  released  him. 
Think  of  him  only  as  a  dream  of  childhood,  and  make  use 
of  the  present  time.  There  are  many  worse  than  James 
Stevens,  and  in  my  opinion  few  are  so  good.  Heron  Hall 
is  a  beautiful  place !  I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  such  mag 
nificent  oaks  or  so  fine  a  park  !  Then  I  can  come  and  see 
you,  my  darling  child,  and  you  will  be  perfectly  happy ! 
Don't  say  no,  my  dear  Edith  !  Trust  to  me,  for  I  know 
better  than  you  do  what  would  tend  to  your  future  happi 
ness  ;  all  this  cloud  about  poor  Ned  will  pass  away,  and 
the  future  will  be  as  bright  as  sunshine." 

Edith  listened  abstractedly  to  her  mother's  glowing  pict 
ure  of  her  future  life.  Since  the  day  when  Stevens  had  de 
scribed  the  shipwreck  and  Ned's  death,  she  had  certainly 
leaned  more  toward  him  than  before,  and,  as  his  visits  to 
the  rectory  had  been  constant,  she  had  often  led  the  con 
versation  to  the  sad  event,  and  dwelt  with  a  painful  interest 
upon  all  the  details  of  the  voyage  from  the  time  that  Ned 
had  first  joined  the  Sybille.  With  consummate  hypocrisy, 
Stevens  pretended  an  extreme  friendship  for  Ned  Grey, 
and  appeared  to  sympathize  with  Edith  in  her  regard  for 
his  memory;  he  described,  with  well -feigned  admiration, 
his  courage  in  the  action  with  the  Forte,  and  also  Ned's 
daring  act  in  plunging  into  the  sea  to  save  his  life  when  he 
fell  overboard  in  the  voyage  from  England. 

These,  and  many  other  anecdotes  in  which  Ned  was 
concerned,  served  to  awaken  a  common  interest  between 
Edith  and  Stevens  which  her  mother  lost  no  opportunity 
of  supporting ;  nevertheless  Edith's  heart  was  as  yet  free 
from  all  warmer  feelings  than  those  of  a  friendly  intimacy. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  327 

While  Mrs.  Jones  was  endeavoring  to  fan  Edith's  first 
spark  of  friendship  into  a  brighter  flame,  Joe  Smart  was 
burning  with  love  for  Polly  Grey.  He  had  used  every 
argument  that  the  warmest  passion  could  suggest  to  per 
suade  her  to  overcome  her  scruples  and  to  become  his  wife. 
Polly  had  always  regarded  Smart  with  great  affection ;  but 
although  their  intimacy  was  upon  a  footing  that  rendered 
the  slightest  hesitation  dangerous,  she  still  resisted  his  pro 
posals.  "  Not  until  some  eye-witness  swears  that  he  saw 
Paul's  body  buried,  will  I  listen  even  to  you,  Joe  Smart, 
who  were  Paul's  best  friend,"  such  was  Polly's  final  deter 
mination. 

Joe  Smart  was  in  a  difficulty  ;  how  would  it  be  possible 
to  procure  the  desired  witness  ?  It  at  length  struck  him 
that  the  only  chance  of  obtaining  information  would  be 
through  Leontine,  assisted  by  one  of  the  lugger's  crew,  who 
might  have  obtained  the  name  of  the  French  privateer  upon 
which  Paul  and  Dick  Stone  had  been  killed.  For  this  pur 
pose  Joe  Smart  set  off  for  Falmouth,  in  order  to  discover 
from  the  authorities  of  that  town  all  the  particulars  of  the 
exchange  of  prisoners  that  had  been  effected  when  Leontine 
returned  to  France  with  her  brother  Victor  :  this  informa 
tion  might  be  a  guide  to  Leontine's  address,  and  she  might 
probably  discover  some  members  of  the  •  privateer's  crew 
who  could  swear  to  the  fact  of  Paul's  death. 

It  was  the  eve  of  Christmas-day  when  Joe  Smart  started 
upon  this  important  mission  ;  the  snow  was  falling  heavily, 
and  was  drifting  in  the  wind  that  howled  across  the  hill 
tops,  and  scattered  the  few  withered  leaves  that  at  this 
late  season  still  clung  tenaciously  to  the  oaks.  It  was  bit 
terly  cold,  and  Joe  Smart's  fingers  were  so  numbed  that 
he  could  scarcely  feel  the  bridle  through  his  thick  woolen 
gloves ;  buttoned  tight  to  the  chin,  he  had  raised  the  high 
collar  of  his  great-coat,  around  which  he  tied  a  large  red 


328  CAST   UP  B Y  THE  SEA. 

woolen  comforter  that  Polly  had  given  him  at  the  last  mo 
ment  of  starting.  This  was  the  same  comforter  that  she 
had  knitted  years  ago  as  a  present  for  Paul  when  he  should 
return.  Thus  secured  from  the  weather,  with  a  sou'-wester 
oil-skin  cap  drawn  tightly  over  his  head  and  ears,  and  tied 
beneath  his  chin,  Joe  Smart  trotted  along  upon  a  powerful 
cob  and  took  the  road  for  Falmouth.  The  wind  was  direct 
ly  in  his  face  ;  and  as  the  snow  froze  as  it  fell,  the  mane  of 
his  horse  was  covered,  and  the  eyes  of  the  animal,  like  those 
of  the  rider,  were  so  pained  by  the  drift  that  it  bent  its 
head  upon  one  side  to  avoid  the  cutting  wind.  The  earth 
was  white  with  snow,  and  as  Joe  Smart  rode  along,  he 
closed  his  eyes  to  avoid  the  needle-like  sharpness  of  the 
sleet,  trusting  to  the  sure-footedness  of  his  careful  horse. 
It  was  about  3  P.M.  when  he  passed  along  the  road  above 
Sandy  Cove  ;  and  as  he  glanced  below,  he  recalled  to  mind 
the  old  times  when  Paul's  clipper  lugger  lay  anchored  in 
the  bay,  and  Polly  had  always  welcomed  him  at  the  pretty 
cottage  on  the  cliff,  which  now  was  his. 

"  Poor  Paul !"  exclaimed  Joe  Smart  to  himself,  "  he 
was  as  gallant  and  fine  a  sailor  as  ever  lived  !  God  rest 
his  soul,  and  bring  happiness  to  his  dear  wife !" 

Occupied  with  these  thoughts,  he  trotted  steadily  along, 
meeting  no  object  upon  the  road  except  a  man  well  wrap 
ped  up  like  himself,  who  bent  his  head  before  the  blast  as 
his  horse  cantered  quickly  by  like  a  phantom,  leaving  no 
sound  of  hoofs  in  the  snow  that  was  already  many  inches 
deep. 

As  Joe  Smart  is  trotting  onward  on  the  road  to  Fal 
mouth,  we  will  follow  the  stranger  whose  horse  was  hurry 
ing  in  the  opposite  direction. 

There  was  no  road  visible,  and  the  recent  tracks  of 
Smart's  horse  were  rapidly  disappearing  beneath  the  fast 
falling  snow,  but  without  an  instant's  hesitation  the  stran- 


OAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  329 

ger  spurred  his  powerful  black  horse  over  the  white  sur 
face,  regardless  of  hidden  holes  or  drifts ;  he  was  so  muf 
fled  up  that  hardly  his  eyes  were  visible ;  and  thus  he 
galloped  on  until  he  arrived  at  the  steep  footpath  that  led 
down  the  cliff  to  Sandy  Cove.  Springing  from  his  horse, 
he  drew  the  reins  over  its  head  and  led  it  carefully  down 
the  zigzag  path.  Upon  reaching  the  bottom,  he  knocked 
at  the  door  of  a  hut  formed  of  a  well-tarred  inverted  boat, 
in  which  windows  had  been  fitted. 

"Who's  there  ?"  cried  a  shrill  woman's  voice  from  with 
in. 

"  Open  the  door,  my  good  woman,  for  I'm  very  cold," 
said  the  stranger,  "  and  I  won't  delay  you  for  two  minutes." 

The  door  immediately  opened,  and  securing  the  reins  to 
a  hook  upon  which  crab-nets  were  suspended,  he  left  the 
horse  outside  and  entered  the  hut,  closing  the  door  behind 
him  to  keep  out  the  cold  wind.  The  occupant  of  the  hut 
was  a  woman  of  about  forty-five,  with  several  children,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  a  boy  about  six  years  old. 

"  Does  a  man  named  Paul  Grey  live  here  ?"  asked  the 
stranger. 

"  Paul  Grey  live  here  ?"  replied  the  woman.  "  No,  I 
wish  he  did ;  he's  dead  long  ago,  poor  fellow,  on  the  day 
that  my  good  man  fell  fighting  by  his  side,  and  they're  both 
now  in  heaven.  This  child,"  continued  the  woman,  as  she 
took  the  youngest  by  the  hand, "  was  then  at  my  breast 
when  the  news  came  home  that  his  brave  father  was  shot 
through.  The  Polly  brought  some  wounded  men  to  Fal- 
mouth,  but  my  poor  man  lies  in  the  sea ;  God  only  knows 
the  spot." 

"  Poor  fellow  !  he  was  a  brave  sailor,"  said  the  stranger ; 
"  but  what  of  Paul  Grey's  wife ;  is  she  too  dead  ?"  he  asked 
in  a  hollow  and  uncertain  voice. 

"  No,  she's  alive  and  well,  poor  soul,  but  always  sorrow- 


330  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

ing,"  replied  the  woman.  "  She  often  comes  over  here  and 
sees  us  all,  and  talks  of  Paul  as  though  he  were  still  alive ; 
and  she  goes  up  to  the  cottage  on  the  cliff,  and  looks  upon 
the  sea  as  though  she  thought  the  Polly  would  return  again 
as  in  old  times." 

"  Is  the  old  boat  gone,  too  ?"  asked  the  stranger. 

"  Lord  bless  you !  the  boat,  the  Polly,  do  you  mean  ? 
Why,  she  never  came  back  to  the  Cove  after  the  fight ;  she 
was  almost  knocked  to  pieces,  and  was  sold  at  Falmouth  to 
pay  Paul's  debts  ;  there's  nothing  left  except  the  cottage  on 
the  cliff,  and  that  was  bought  by  the  one-armed  captain 
when  all  the  things  were  sold." 

"  Where  is  Paul's  wife  ?"  inquired  the  stranger. 

"  She  lives  at  the  rectory  with  Mrs.  Jones  and  Miss 
Edith,  who  were  very  good  to  her ;  they  come  here  some 
times  now,  and  never  forget  the  poor,  God  bless  them  !  I 
don't  know  what  my  poor  children  would  have  done  this 
cold  Christmas  had  it  not  been  for  all  their  goodness.  And 
the  one-armed  captain,  too,  is  a  good  man,  and  helps  us  oft 
en;  he'll  make  Mrs.  Grey  a  good  husband  if  she'll  have 
him,  but  they  say  she  won't  listen  to  him  till  she  sees  where 
Paul's  buried.  Poor  soul,  she's  a  good  wife,  and  true  as 
steel." 

"And  is  it  supposed  that  she  will  then  marry  the  one- 
armed  captain  ?"  asked  the  stranger. 

"Well,  it's  most  likely  to  come  off,  I  think,"  replied  the 
woman.  "You, see,  Captain  Smart  was  a  good  friend  of 
Paul's,  and  he  did  every  thing  for  Mrs.  Grey  when  she  was 
mourning  for  him ;  he  paid  all  the  debts,  and  never  let  her 
want ;  and  she  must  have  a  harder  heart  than  flint  if  she 
doesn't  love  the  man." 

"And  the  lad,  Ned  Grey  ?"  said  the  stranger ;  "  where 
is  he  ?" 

"  Ned  Grey  ?"  replied  the  woman.      "  Why,  there's  a 


(JAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  331 

long  story  about  Ned  Grey ;  he  was  missing  ever  since  the 
night  of  Parson  Jones's  murder,  together  with  the  nigger 
Tim,  and  was  never  heard  of  since.  Some  say  as  how  he 
did  the  murder,  but  that  I  know  is  a  lie :  but  for  all  that 
they  issued  a  warrant  to  apprehend  all  three — Paul,  and 
Ned  Grey,  and  Tim — because  the  old  woman,  Mother  Lee, 
witnessed  against  them." 

"Parson  Jones  murdered!"  exclaimed  the  stranger. 
"  Ned  Grey  and  Tim  missing,  and  never  heard  of  !  Mother 
Lee  witnessed  against  them  !  Good  heavens,  what  shall  I 
hear  next  ?  Where  is  Mother  Lee  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Why,  you  know  something  and  yet  know  nothing  of 
these  parts,"  replied  the  woman.  "  Mother  Lee  hated  Paul, 
and  she  tried  to  wreck  the  Potty  by  lighting  false  beacons 
on  the  cliff  in  a,  sou'-west  gale ;  her  clothes  were  covered 
with  tar,  and  she  caught  fire  and  blazed  for  half  an  hour 
till  she  was  burned  to  a  cinder :  it  was  the  devil's  work  for 
his  own  that  night." 

"  Have  the  murderers  of  Parson  Jones  been  discovered  ?" 
asked  the  stranger. 

"  Nothing  has  ever  been  heard  of  them,"  replied  the 
woman ;  "  but  as  two  hundred  guineas  were  stolen,  and  the 
same  amount  was  found  in  a  bag  concealed  in  a  cave  in 
Paul's  house,  together  with  a  lot  of  jewels  and  smuggled 
goods,  suspicion  fell  upon  his  family,  and  a  verdict  of  will 
ful  murder  was  brought  against  Paul,  Ned  Grey,  and  Tim, 
for  whom  a  warrant  was  given." 

The  stranger  made  no  reply,  but,  giving  the  woman  a 
shilling,  he  left  the  hut,  and  once  more  encountered  the  fierce 
blast.  Leading  his  shivering  horse  to  the  summit  of  the 
cliff,  he  remounted  and  galloped  hard  in  the  direction  of 
the  village. 

After  the  first  two  miles  were  accomplished  the  dusky 
twilight  gave  way  to  darkness,  and  he  was  obliged  to  slack- 


332  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

en  his  speed  to  a  walk :  it  was  about  five  o'clock  when  he 
first  saw  the  lights  twinkling  in  the  windows  of  the  village. 
Hiding  through  the  quiet  arid  desolate  street  of  snow,  he 
halted  at  the  door  of  the  White  Hart  Inn  and  put  up  his 
tired  horse.  Leaving  a  small  valise  that  was  strapped 
upon  the  saddle  in  charge  of  the  boy  that  took  his  horse, 
he  left  word  that  he  should  require  a  room,  and  without 
changing  his  clothes  or  in  any  way  altering  his  muffled  ap 
pearance,  he  at  once  disappeared  in  the  darkness  of  the 
street. 

In  a  few  minutes  he  entered  the  garden  gate  of  the  rec 
tory,  and  stealthily  approached  the  house  by  the  lawn ;  he 
observed  a  bright  light  at  a  window  on  the  ground-floor, 
and  he  was  soon  sufficiently  near  to  distinguish  the  persons 
within.  A  large  fire  flamed  up  the  chimney  of  the  drawing- 
room,  in  which  were  several  ladies.  Having  drawn  near  to 
the  window,  the  suspicious-looking  stranger  peered  through 
the  glass.  Mrs.  Jones  and  Edith  were  unconsciously  sip 
ping  their  tea,  while  Polly  Grey  was  seated  by  the  fire  in 
an  arm-chair  reading.  Presently  Edith  rose  from  her  seat, 
and,  drawing  her  chair  near,  she  placed  her  arm  round  Pol 
ly's  neck  and  kissed  her  cheek. 

The  stranger  left  the  window,  and  retiring  as  quietly  as 
he  had  arrived,  he  passed  round  the  house  to  the  back  door 
and  rang  the  bell. 

A  woman-servant  answered  the  summons,  and  for  the 
first  moment  she  screamed  and  slammed  the  door  at  seeing 
the  tall,  muffled  figure  that  looked  black  and  huge  upon  the 
white  snow. 

"  Open  the  door,  my  good  girl,"  cried  the  stranger,  "  and 
don't  be  afraid.  I  have  a  message  of  much  importance  to 
deliver  to  Mrs.  Grey." 

Once  more  the  timid  girl  opened  the  door,  and  the 
stranger  entered  the  house. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  333 

"  Say  to  Mrs.  Grey  immediately,"  said  the  stranger,  "  that 
a  sailor  who  fought  with  Paul  Grey  when  he  fell  wishes  to 
speak  wTith  her ;  but  show  me  into  a  room,  where  I  can  see 
her  alone." 

The  girl  led  him  into  the  library,  and  leaving  the  candle 
she  left  him  in  the  gloomy  chamber  while  she  delivered  the 
message. 

A  chill  of  surprise  thrilled  through  Polly  Grey.  "  How 
strange,"  she  said,  "  that  Captain  Smart  should  only  have 
started  to-day,  and  that  already  some  person  brings  intelli 
gence  of  the  event !  They  must  have  met  upon  the  road  ! 
What  kind  of  person  is  this  who  has  brought  the  message  ?" 
asked  Polly. 

"  He's  a  horrid-looking  man,  mum,  if  you  please,"  said 
the  timid  maid ;  "  you  can't  see  any  thing  of  him  except  a 
tremendous  great-coat  and  a  slouched  cap,  and  a  big  com 
forter,  and  a  shawl  tied  round  his  throat  that  hides  his  face 
altogether,  and  he  looks  as  cold  as  shivers,"  continued  the 
girl,  "  for  the  snow's  sticking  all  about  him." 

"  Is  there  a  fire  in  the  library  ?"  asked  Polly. 

"  Yes,  mum,  there's  a  blazing  fire." 

"  Then  tell  him  that  I  will  see  him  immediately." 

The  girl  left  the  room,  and  having  said  a  few  words  to 
Edith  and  Mrs.  Jones  (who  felt  rather  nervous  at  the  idea 
of  a  strange  person  having  been  thus  admitted  into  the 
house  after  dark),  Polly  shortly  followed  her. 

As  Polly  Grey  entered  the  library,  lighted  only  by  one 
candle  that  the  maid  had  left,  she  at  first  hardly  distinguish 
ed  the  dark  arid  muffled  form  of  the  stranger,  who  was  stand 
ing  by  a  book-shelf.  Startled  for  the  moment  as  he  came 
forward,  she  said,  "  I  believe  you  are  the  person  who  wishes 
to  speak  with  Mrs.  Grey?  I  am  the  widow  of  Paul  Grey." 

The  tall  figure  of  the  stranger  for  an  instant  appeared  to 
reel  forward,  but  almost  immediately  recovering  himself,  he 


334  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

said,  in  a  deep  and  trembling  voice,  "  Widow  of  Paul  Grey, 
I  was  with  him  in  the  fight  when  he  fell." 

Polly  pressed  her  hand  for  some  moments  against  her 
forehead  in  silence.  "  I  know  he  fell,"  she  said,  "  and  that 
bravely ;  but  I  have  always  hoped  against  all  hope  that  he 
was  not  killed,  but  perhaps  gravely  wounded,  and  that  I 
might  again  see  him  in  this  world.  Did  you  see  him  die  ? 
Oh  tell  rne,  I  beseech  you,  all !  Hide  nothing  from  me ; 
for  now  that  I  know  he  is  really  dead,  I  can  bear  to  hear 
all  concerning  him." 

"  I  came  here  to  tell  you  all  I  know,"  replied  the  stran 
ger.  "  I  am  a  sailor  who  fought  and  bled  in  that  hard  fight 
when  Paul  and  Dick  Stone  were  both  struck  down.  Poor 
Dick  lies  in  the  sea,  and  Paul — but  I  will  not  harrow  your 
feelings,  Mrs.  Grey.  I  had  heard  that  you  were  about  to 
marry  again,  and  that  Captain  Smart  was  to  fill  Paul's  va 
cant  place.  I  am  an  old  friend  of  Joe  Smart's,  and  I  could 
wish  him  no  better  fortune  than  to  win  Paul's  wife." 

"Alas !"  said  Polly,  "  that  such  reports  have  stirred 
abroad.  Captain  Smart  was  Paul's  best  friend,  and  he  has 
well  befriended  me,  but  never  was  woman  truer  to  her  hus 
band's  memory  than  I  have  been  ;  it  has  been  a  life  of  sor 
row  to  me  for  many  a  long  year,  and  I  have  prayed  to  God 
for  death  as  my  greatest  comfort,  that  I  might  see  dear 
Paul  again  in  heaven.  I  never  can  marry.  I  could  not  take 
another  vow :  my  heart  would  break ;  but  still,  there  could 
not  be  a  better  or  more  honest  man  than  Captain  Smart." 

As  Polly  spoke  these  words,  the  tall,  muffled  figure  drew 
nearer  to  her  and  said,  in  a  hoarse  whisper, "  Mrs.  Grey,  did 
you  ever  dream  of  Paul  ?  Did  you  ever  pray  for  him  when 
away?" 

"  Dream  of  him  ?"  said  Polly ;  "  I  have  passed  such  nights 
of  happiness  with  Paul  in  my  arms,  only  to  wake  and  find 
myself  alone,  and  the  world  a  wilderness  without  him ;  and 


CAST    UP  By   THE  SEA.  335 

I  have  prayed  till  my  heart  has  nearly  broken  that  God 
should  restore  him  to  me.  I  have  lived  in  hope  till  now; 
and  you,  evil  messenger,  have  broken  the  last  reed  on  which 
I  leaned,  now  I  know  that  Paul  is  gone  forever.  O  God  ! 
why  did  I  pray  ?  Let  me  die  rather  than  live  this  life  of 
anguish !"  said  Polly  bitterly,  in  her  despair. 

For  some  minutes  Polly  leaned  upon  the  mantel-piece 
and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands ;  the  tall  stranger  also  ap 
peared  to  be  affected.  "And  if,"  said  he,  "  Paul  Grey  were 
to  return  to  life,  what  would  become  of  Captain  Smart  ? 
Does  he  not  love  you,  Mrs.  Grey?" 

"  Question  me  no  more.     You  have  delivered  your  fatal* 
message ;  I  thank  you  for  the  sad  news.     You  must  be 
tired  and  hungry  ;  I  will  order  supper." 

"  The  moment  is  too  serious  for  thoughts  of  hunger.  I 
have  yet  more  news  to  tell,  but  I  must  have  your  thorough 
confidence,"  replied  the  stranger ;  "  tell  me  plainly  and  upon 
your  oath,  does  not  Smart  love  you,  and  do  you  not  return 
his  love  ?" 

"  He  does,"  said  Polly ;  "  and  for  him  I  have  the  affection 
of  a  sister.  Since  Paul's  death  he  has  been  more  than  a 
brother  to  me,  and  he  now  asks  for  his  reward,  that  I  should 
consent  to  become  his  wife." 

"  What  is  your  reply  ?"  asked  the  stranger.  "  I  must 
know  all  before  I  proceed  with  my  story,  for  the  end  has 
not  been  told." 

Polly  hesitated.  "  Why  should  I  be  ashamed  to  declare 
my  feelings  ?  I  can  not  love  again  as  I  loved  Paul,  and  yet 
I  owe  Captain  Smart  so  much  that,  although  I  have  always 
refused  his  offer,  I  feel  that  if  Paul's  spirit  could  know  all 
he  has  done  for  me  and  for  his  interests,  he  would  himself 
counsel  me  to  accept  his  hand.  I  have  told  him,"  continued 
Polly,  "  that  I  can  hear  no  more  until  he  can  discover  an 
eye-witness  who  saw  my  dear  Paul's  body  buried.  He  has 


3-36  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

left  this  house  to-day  for  Falmouth,  and  if  you  came  from 
that  direction  you  must  have  met  him  on  the  road.  I  fear 
you  are  the  witness  that  would  have  rendered  his  journey 
unnecessary  ;  would  that  I  were  dead !" 

"  Mrs.  Grey,"  said  the  stranger  solemnly,  and  in  a  voice 
broken  by  his  excited  feelings,  "prepare  yourself  for  the 
remainder  of  my  tale.  Can  you  bear  more  ?" 

"  I  can  bear  any  thing,"  said  Polly ;  "  my  distress  has 
been  so  great  that  nothing  can  impress  me  now  that  Paul 
is  dead  ;  my  feelings  have  grown  callous." 

"  Then  hear  the  end,  and  fortify  yourself  for  what  will 
fcbe  as  severe  a  shock  as  you  ever  had  to  bear.  Are  you  pre 
pared  ?  Is  your  courage  screwed  to  its  highest  pitch  !  Can 
you  support  the  trial  ?" 

"  I  can  bear  any  thing,"  she  repeated ;  "  only  tell  me 
quickly  !  What  can  be  worse  than  all  I  know  ?" 

The  stranger  sat  down  upon  a  chair,  and  apparently 
overcome  by  emotion  for  some  moments,  he  leaned  his 
elbows  upon  the  table  and  buried  his  face  in  his  hands.  As 
though  feeling  oppressed,  he  unbuttoned  his  great-coat  and 
loosened  the  numerous  wraps  around  his  throat ;  then  stand 
ing  up,  he  approached  Polly,  who  calmly  awaited  his  mys 
terious  announcement. 

In  a  deep,  hollow  voice,  he  said,  "  This  is  the  end  of  my 
mission.  .  .  .  Paul  Grey  is  still  alive  !" 

"Alive  !  alive !  alive  !  Oh,  for  God's  sake  don't  deceive 
me  !  My  Paul  not  dead  !  Where,  where  is  he  ?"  exclaimed 
the  almost  frantic  wife. 

"  Here,  in  your  arms,  my  own  sweet  wife !  God  has 
heard  your  prayers !  I  am  Paul  Grey  !" 

In  an  instant  he  had  thrown  off  his  overcoat  and  shawl 
which  concealed  his  features,  and  once  more  Paul  pressed  his 
devoted  Polly  to  his  heart,  while  she  clung  around  his  neck 
in  a  paroxysm  of  joy  that  almost  approached  to  madness. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  337 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

WHEN  the  first  violent  shock  of  delight  was  past  Paul 
explained  in  a  few  words  the  history  of  his  captivi 
ty  and  escape.  After  the  fight  with  the  French  privateer 
he  had  lain  apparently  dead  upon  the  deck ;  but  as  the  wa 
ter  which  washed  the  scuppers  in  which  he  lay  flowed  over 
him  when  the  vessel  rolled,  he  recovered  sufficiently  to 
show  some  signs  of  life,  which  saved  him  from  being  thrown 
overboard.  Upon  arrival  at  Dunkerque  he  was  sent  to  the 
hospital,  and,  when  sufficiently  recovered,  he  was  committed 
to  a  French  prison.  There  he  lay  for  years,  until  one  day 
he  was  informed  that  he  had  permission  to  see  a  friend  who 
had  called  at  the  prison-door.  He  reached  the  barred  gate, 
and  looking  through  the  small  iron  grating,  he  saw  to  his  as 
tonishment  and  delight  his  old  and  true  friend  Leontine. 
Upon  her  arrival  with  her  brother  Victor  in  her  native 
town,  she  had  been  arrested  and  confined  in  jail  for  a  cer 
tain  period  for  having  aided  in  the  escape  of  the  prisoners ; 
but  upon  the  whole  affair  becoming  known,  it  caused  a 
great  sensation,  and  she  shortly  received  a  pardon. 

The  unfortunate  Francois,  her  old  lover,  who  had  been 
on  guard  when  the  prisoners  escaped,  and  who  had  borrow 
ed  a  comrade's  uniform  and  arms  to  aid  in  her  disguise  for 
the  nocturnal  meeting,  had  been  severely  punished;  and 
Leontine,  having  recovered  from  the  loss  of  Dick  Stone, 
had  rewarded  the  hardly-treated  Franyois  with  her  hand. 
They  were  married,  and  Fra^ois  soon  forgot  his  hardships 
in  the  delight  of  his  gallant  prize. 

P 


338  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

Some  years  afterward  Frai^ois,  who  had  risen  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant,  happened  to  meet  at  a  cafe  a  French 
sailor  who  was  describing  to  a  comrade  an  action  in  which 
he  had  been  engaged  with  an  English  vessel.  Listening  at 
tentively  to  his  story,  he  heard  him  relate  the  daring  man 
ner  in  which  the  English  had  boarded  the  French  privateer, 
together  with  the  escape  of  the  disabled  lugger,  owing  to 
the  arrival  of  a  British  cruiser.  Fran9ois  naturally  con 
cluded  that  this  was  a  description  of  the  action  with  the 
Polly,  and  joining  in  the  conversation,  he  gave  an  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  Paul  had  escaped  from  prison  and 
recaptured  the  lugger,  when  Leontine  had  played  him  the 
trick  long  since  forgiven.  He  then  heard  that  Paul  had  re 
covered  from  his  wounds  and  was  confined  in  prison.  From 
that  moment  Leontine  was  determined  to  obtain  Paul's  re 
lease,  but  she  could  not  discover  the  place  in  which  he  was 
imprisoned.  At  length  she  found  that  he  was  in  Dunkerque 
jail.  Thither  the  faithful  Leontine  at  Once  set  off  and  found 
him.  as  described.  She  jit  once  went  to  the  governor  of  the 
jail  and  related  the  circumstance  of  her  brother's  release 
and  the  kindness  she  had  received  in  Falmouth,  and  she  be 
sought  him  to  forward  her  petition  for  Paul's  release  to  the 
proper  authorities.  Struck  with  Leontine's  romantic  tale, 
and  with  her  extraordinary  beauty  and  energy  of  character, 
the  governor  exerted  himself  in  Paul's  behalf,  to  whom  he 
had  taken  a  special  liking  from  the  moment  that  he  had  en 
tered  the  prison,  as  he  had  heard  of  his  daring  behavior  in 
boarding  the  privateer.  After  much  delay  Paul  was  in 
cluded  in  a  list  for  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  was  sent 
to  England.  Landing  at  Falmouth,  he  had  hastened  toward 
his  old  home. 

In  a  few  days  the  news  of  Paul's  return  was  spread 
throughout  the  neighborhood.  Edith  shared  in  Polly 
Grey's  happiness.  Often  had  Polly  mourned  on  Christmas- 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  339 

day,  when  others  seemed  so  happy,  and  she  was  miserable, 
but  now  she  had  spent  that  day  together  with  her  long-lost 
husband.  They  had  knelt  together  in  the  church,  and  pour 
ed  out  their  hearts  to  God  in  humble  thanksgiving  for  a 
joy  that  few  in  this  world  can  know.  But  joy  was  not  for 
all.  Slowly  and  mournfully  a  powerful  brown  cob,  tired 
with  its  journey  in  the  deep  snow,  carried  its  rider  along 
the  road  from  Falmouth  to  the  rectory.  Although  the  wind 
was  cold  and  piercing,  his  great-coat  was  unbuttoned,  his 
throat  was  unprotected,  and  the  empty  sleeve  of  the  left 
arm  dangled  neglected  at  his  side.  Joe  Smart  had  heard 
the  news,  and  was  on  his  return;  he  was  on  the  way  to 
welcome  his  old  friend  Paul,  and  to  take  a  farewell  for-* 
ever  of  Paul's  wife.  He  could  not  trust  himself  again  to 
be  her  friend;  he  knew  that  his  happiness  in  this  world 
was  gone. 

Thus  broken  down  in  spirit,  Joe  Smart  travelled  slowly 
on.  He  did  not  feel  the  cold,  for  the  hard  frost  was  noth 
ing  to  the  chill  that  was  in  his  heart.  He  loved  Paul,  and 
he  had  thoroughly  believed  him  dead ;  thus  he  had  never 
curbed  his  passion  for  Polly  Grey,  and  his  whole  soul  had 
become  devoted  to  that  one  object  of  his  affection.  Paul's 
return  was  an  avalanche  of  misery  to  him  that  had  crushed 
every  hope.  At  the  same  time  his  love  for  Polly  was  so 
thoroughly  devoted  and  sincere  that,  even  in  his  misery,  he 
rejoiced  at  the  intensity  of  happiness  that  she  must  feel  at 
her  husband's  resurrection  from  the  dead.  He  dared  not 
think  of  the  future :  to  him  the  world  must  be  a  blank. 
Thus  he  rode  slowly  on. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  Joe  Smart  reached  the 
rectory  and  warmly  pressed  his  old  friend's  hand.  He 
would  not  trust  himself  to  see  Paul's  wife,  but  he  wrote 
her  a  letter  of  farewell,  full  of  touching  expressions  of  af 
fection,  concealing  as  much  as  possible  his  own  distress,  and 


340  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

dwelling  more  upon  her  future  happiness.  He  explained 
that  he  had  not  the  courage  to  meet  her  to  say  "  good-by," 
and  he  concluded  by  begging  her  to  accept  from  him,  as  a 
souvenir  of  many  happy  days,  a  present  of  the  cottage  on 
the  cliff  at  Sandy  Cove  that  he  had  purchased  at  the  sale  of 
Paul's  effects  ;  in  which  he  trusted  once  more  to  see  her  and 
Paul  together  at  some  future  day  when  time  should  have 
lessened  the  agony  of  his  disappointment. 

It  grieved  Paul's  heart  to  see  his  friend's  distress. 
"  Cheer  up,  Joe,  my  dear  friend,  and  more  than  brother,'' 
he  said,  as  he  almost  crushed  his  hand  in  his  affectionate 
but  iron  grasp.  "  It  might  have  been  better  had  I  died, 
but  I  trust  to  live  to  repay  you,  if  ever  possible,  for  all  the 
kind  acts  and  generosity  you  have  shown  to  Polly.  You 
have  been  sorely  punished,  my  dear  Joe,  by  my  return ;  but 
believe  me  how  I  grieve  to  see  you  feel  so  keenly.  You 
must  come  and  see  us  often  in  the  old  place,  and  Polly  will 
welcome  you  with  all  her  heart,  as  I  will ;  and  we  will  for 
get  that  I  was  lost,  and  we  shall  live  as  we  did  before:  the 
door  always  open  to  you  as  our  truest  friend." 

Joe  Smart  choked  in  his  attempt  to  reply  to  Paul's  feel 
ing  words ;  but  biting  his  lips  until  the  blood  flowed  to 
suppress  the  emotion  which  this  kind  sympathy  had  awa 
kened,  he  could  only  return  the  pressure  of  Paul's  hand, 
and  hurriedly  left  the  house.  As  he  rushed  from  the  front 
door  in  the  dark  he  came  in  sudden  contact  with  some  per 
son  who  fell  with  the  shock,  and  almost  immediately  after 
ward,  although  he  had  apologized,  he  felt  a  smart  blow  with 
a  heavy  whip  across  the  face.  Stung  with  the  pain  and 
with  the  unmerited  insult,  Smart  instinctively  struck  his  ad 
versary  a  severe  blow  on  the  eye  with  his  only  fist,  but 
quickly  found  himself  closed  with  in  return.  This  had  hap 
pened  in  a  few  seconds,  and  as  Paul  had  followed  Smart 
with  the  intention  of  insisting  upon  his  return,  he  opened 


CAST   UP  BY   T-HE  SEA.  341 

the  door  and  found  him  engaged  in  a  struggle  with  Jem 
Stevens. 

"  Holloa,  what's  the  row  ?"  exclaimed  Paul,  as  he  collared 
Stevens  in  his  powerful  grasp  and  separated  the  combat 
ants.  "  What !  fight  with  a  one-armed  man,  you  coward  ?" 
saying  which,  he  gave  Stevens  a  push  which  sent  him  stag 
gering  some  paces  distant. 

Stevens  was  half  blind  with  passion  when  he  found  that 
his  adversary  was  Joe  Smart,  of  whose  position  at  the  rec 
tory  he  had  been  for  a  long  time  jealous,  as  he  imagined 
that  he  counselled  Edith  against  his  proposals.  Turning 
quickly  upon  his  heel,  he  exclaimed,  "  You  shall  hear  more 
of  this  !"  and  retreating  to  the  stable,  he  remounted  his 
horse,  muttering,  "  Coward  he  called  me ;  that  ruffian,  Paul 
Grey !" 

On  the  following  morning,  as  Paul  was  sitting  at  the' 
breakfast-table  with  Polly,  Mrs.  Jones,  and  Edith,  a  ring- 
was  heard  at  the  front  bell.  In  about  five  minutes  the  door 
opened,  and  several  constables  entered  the  room,  one  of 
whom  exhibited  a  paper,  and,  laying  his  hand  upon  Paul's 
shoulder,  he  said,  "I  apprehend  you,  Paul  Grey,  upon  a 
charge  of  willful  murder."  This  was  the  original  warrant 
for  his  apprehension  that  had  been  issued  many  years  ago 
when  Parson  Jones  was  murdered. 

It  was  useless  to  resist :  however  false  the  charge,  there 
could  be  no  doubt  that  the  warrant  was  strictly  legal ;  and 
Paul,  rising  from  his  seat,  took  leave  of  Polly,  saying,  "  I 
shall  not  be  long  in  settling  this  farce."  He  accompanied 
the  constables,  who  led  him  before  a  magistrate.  That  wor 
thy  functionary  was  James  Stevens,  Esq.,  of  Heron  Hall. 
*  -  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

We  must  now  change  the  scene  and  return  to  Africa  at 
a  period  of  about  twelve  months  before  Paul's  return. 

It  was  the  rainy  season  in  the  country  where  we  left  Ned 


342  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

and  Tim,  but  no  rain  had  fallen.  Not  a  drop  of  dew  moist 
ened  the  ground ;  but,  parched  and  withered,  the  whole  land 
was  a  bright  yellow  glare  of  sunburnt  grass.  In  a  large 
circular  hut  sat  a  tall,  handsome  young  man  of  about  twenty 
years;  by  his  side  was  a  clean-skinned,  powerful  young 
negro  of  about  the  same  age:  these  were  Ned  and  Tim. 
They  were  dressed  in  clothes  of  beautifully  prepared  skins 
divested  of  the  hair,  resembling  chamois  leather.  These 
they  had  themselves  manufactured  by  tanning  with  the  fruit 
of  a  mimosa,  as  their  stock  of  European  clothes  had  long 
since  disappeared.  The  king  had  been  dead  for  some  time, 
as  he  had  been  murdered  by  his  subjects,  and  Ned  had  been, 
much  against  his  will,  elected  chief.  This  was  a  dangerous 
position,  as  few  of  their  governors  had  died  a  natural  death ; 
but  they  had  generally  been  sacrificed  to  some  popular  su 
perstition.  Ned  was  at  the  present  time  in  a  state  of  great 
perplexity,  as  the  people  were  vainly  crying  for  rain. 

Daily  the  sky  clouded  over,  but  when  all  hopes  were 
high,  the  clouds  would  gradually  disappear  without  yield 
ing  a  drop,  and  the  sorcerers  had  declared  to  the  people 
that  Ned  withheld  the  rain  by  magic.  Added  to  this  un 
lucky  drought,  a  murrain  had  broken  out  among  the  cattle, 
which  had  probably  originated  from  the  absence  of  green 
fodder ;  the  cows  died  in  great  numbers,  milk  was  hardly 
to  be  obtained,  and  the  people  dreaded  a  famine,  as  they 
would  be  unable  to  sow  their  crops  in  the  burning  soil. 
They  nocked  to  their  sorcerers,  who,  having  always  been 
jealous  of  Ned's  supremacy,  now  boldly  declared  that  it 
was  he  who  inflicted  this  curse  upon  the  land. 

Thousands  of  natives  congregated  from  all  parts  of  the 
country,  and  they  determined  to  wait  upon  Ned  in  a  vast 
assemblage  to  petition  him  for  rain. 

It  was  early  morning  when  a  hum  of  distant  voices,  to 
gether  with  the  beating  of  drums  and  blowing  of  horns,  ap- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  343 

proached  the  town.  Quickly  the  drums  of  many  head-men 
responded  to  the  call,  and  an  immense  body  of  people  as 
sembled  beneath  a  grove  of  large  fig-trees  or  sycamores 
upon  a  clear  spot  outside  the  palisades,  as  there  was  no 
open  space  within  the  town  sufficiently  large  to  contain 
them.  In  a  short  time  the  sorcerers  waited  upon  Ned,  and 
requested  him  to  appear  before  the  people. 

It  was  not  without  some  misgiving  that  Ned,  accompa 
nied  by  Tim  and  old  Nero,  responded  to  the  call.  The  dog 
was  no  longer  the  bounding  and  playful  animal  of  former 
days ;  his  muzzle  had  grown  gray,  and  his  expression  had 
become  solemn ;  while  his  eyes,  deeply  sunk  within  his  head, 
showed  the  effects  of  age.  A  loud  shout  from  the  multi 
tude  welcomed  Ned's  appearance,  and  he  took  his  seat  be 
neath  a  sycamore,  with  Tim  by  his  side.  There  was  no 
shade,  as  the  long-continued  dry  weather  had  withered  the 
leaves,  few  of  which  remained  upon  the  trees. 

As  Ned  sat  down,  the  air  rang  with  the  shouts  of  many 
thousand  voices : 

"  Rain !  rain  !  great  chief.  Give  us  rain,  or  we  all  per 
ish  !" 

These  cries  continued  with  increasing  vehemence,  until 
the  excitement  became  so  great  that  many  brandished  their 
lances  in  menacing  attitudes,  as  though  to  imply  that  they 
would  have  recourse  to  violence  should  their  demands  not 
be  complied  with.  Ned  had  now  mastered  the  language  so 
as  to  speak  fluently ;  and  as  the  tumult  increased,  he  was 
about  to  address  them,  when  Tim  interrupted  him  with  ad 
vice. 

"•Massa  Ned,  dese  niggers  not  like  us.  Dey  all  same 
like  a  mad  bull ;  just  give  'em  an  idea,  dey  knock  dere 
heads  against  it.  Now  dey  got  de  idea  l  no  rain  come  cos 
of  Massa  Ned;'  now  dey  run  dere  heads  slick  at  Massa 
Ned,  and  kill  us  sartain  !  ' 


344  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

' "  You  are  right,  Tim,"  said  Ned,  "  they  are  merely  brutes 
in  impulse,  and  I  fear  we  shall  be  the  victims  of  their,  ig 
norant  passions.  I  see  no  hope  except  in  delay.  We  must 
endeavor  to  keep  them  patient  for  a  few  days,  and  take  the 
chance  of  rain." 

"  De  rain  not  come,  Massa  Ned.  I  know  de  custom 
of  de  sky  in  dis  bad  country ;  four  or  five  years  p'raps  de 
rain  come,  den  one  year  come  dry  as  tinder ;  not  a  drop 
of  water.  Den  de  niggers  kill  de  king  and  all  de  rain 
makers.  Dis  year  no  rain  come,  and  we  be  killed  if  not 
run  away.  Tim  don't  care  for  self ;  but  bad  job  for  Massa 
Ned." 

"Escape  is  impossible,"  said  Ned.  "How  often  would 
we  have  escaped  from  this  hateful  land  if  it?  had  been  prac 
ticable.  Our  only  chance  would  be  Zanzibar ;  that  is  at 
least  five  hundred  miles  from  here.  How  could  we  accom 
plish  such  a  journey  without  means  of  any  kind  to  pass 
through  the  various  tribes,  all  of  which  are  hostile  to  each 
other?" 

"  I  know  all  dat,  Massa  Ned,"  replied  Tim.  "  P'raps  we 
get  killed  on  de  road,  but  dat's  only  p'raps;  if  we  stop  here 
dere's  no  p'raps,  only  killed  for  sartain.  If  we  not  look 
sharp,"  continued  Tim,  "  we  be  killed  to-day  !  Look  at  de 
niggers  now,  see  how  dey  cuss,  and  hark  what  dey  say — 
'  Kill  de  white  man  and  de  black  dog !'  Now  dey  tink  de 
poor  Nero  stop  de  rain,  stoopid  niggers  !" 

At  this  time  the  excitement  had  reached  so  high  a  pitch 
that,  as  Tim  had  described,  the  crowd  were  shouting  for 
the  death  of  Ned  and  the  dog,  as  strange  creatures  that 
must  have  brought  the  calamity  upon  the  country. 

"  I  know  de  trick,  Massa  Ned  !"  exclaimed  Tim  sudden 
ly,  when  the  tumult  was  at  its  height,  and  one  man  had  in 
his  excitement  thrown  a  lance  at  Ned,  which  he  narrowly 
escaped.  "  Massa  Ned  holler  out,  <  Stop  de  row  !  de  rain's 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  345 

a-coming  !'  Holler  quick  !  or  we  be  killed  sartin !"  con 
tinued  Tim,  as  another  lance  whizzed  past  his  ear. 

On  the  impulse  of  the  moment  Ned  rose  from  the 
ground,  and,  throwing  his  arms  high  above  his  head,  he 
shouted  in  a  loud  voice  that  the  people  should  be  silent. 
The  tumult  quickly  subsided,  as  Ned's  tall  and  command 
ing  figure  produced  a  sudden  effect,  and  they  expected  that 
he  would  speak. 

"  Now,  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim  quickly,  "  tell  'em  you  call 
de  rain  in  six  days,  but  you  want  to  go  to  fetch  it.  Tell  'em 
you  know  de  place  where  de  rain's  shut  up.  De  niggers, 
stoopid  fools,  believe  all  dis.  Den  we  get  six  days'  start, 
and  cut  and  run.  Dat's  de  trick  'xactly  !" 

Ned  qualified  Tim's  sagacious  idea,  and  having  obtained 
perfect  silence,  he  addressed  the  multitude  in  a  forcible 
speech,  blaming  them  for  certain  crimes  that  they  had 
committed,  and  declaring  that  the  drought  was  thoroughly 
merited  for  the  murder  of  their  late  king.  He  continued 
by  threatening  them  with  the  vengeance  of  the  Great  Spirit 
should  they  persist  in  their  determination  to  sacrifice  him 
and  the  dog,  and  reminded  them  that,  although  the  drought 
and  the  murrain  had  visited  them,  the  locusts  and  the 
small-pox  had  not  yet  arrived — two  plagues  infinitely  worse 
than  the  former — that  would  punish  their  offenses.  Ned 
concluded  by  demanding  six  days  of  seclusion,  during 
which  he  was  to  be  left  entirely  alone  with  Tim  and  his 
dog,  in  a  grove  of  palm-trees  about  three  miles  from  the 
town  on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  as  he  wished  to  observe 
the  sun.  Should  no  rain  fall  before  the  sixth  day,  he  offered 
to  become  a  sacrifice  for  the  good  of  the  people. 

"Wild  shouts  and  immense  confusion  followed  this  speech. 
Some  of  the  people  would  have  agreed  to  the  proposal,  while 
others  declared  that  he  should  be  put  to  death  at  once. 
The  tumult  rose  to  such  a  pitch  that  the  riot  became  general, 

P  2 


346  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

and  the  parties  were  proceeding  to  blows,  which  would  cer 
tainly  have  ended  in  the  slaughter  of  Ned  had  not  Tim 
promptly  struck  several  loud  blows  upon  the  great  drum, 
which  important  signal  restored  tranquillity.  Tim  did  not 
lose  the  opportunity,  but  at  once  addressed  the  people,  and, 
being  thoroughly  conversant  with  their  ways,  he  made  a  pro 
posal  that  met  with  general  approbation  and  satisfied  all 
parties.  As  he  explained  this  suggestion  to  Ned  :  "  I  tell 
dese  black  stoopid  niggers,  Massa  Ned,  dis  much.  Says  I, 
*  You  all  right  on  de  one  side,  my  good  fellers,  and  you  all 
right  on  de  oder  side  too.  Now,  if  every  body  all  right,  no 
body  all  wrong ;  dat's  a  fact  'xactly  !  Now  one  side  say, 
"  Kill  him  to-day  " — quite  right ;  but  de  oder  side  say, 
"  Wait  six  days  " — quite  right.  Now  I  say,  "  Make  it  half 
of  de  one  and  half  of  de  oder — dat's  de  proper  way,  den 
every  body's  right.  Wait  tree  days  'stead  of  six ;  dat's  dc 
trick !  den  nobody's  wrong  and  every  body's  right !' " 
Dat's  de  way  to  talk  to  de  niggers,  Massa  Ned.  Now  dey 
understand  ;  now  dey  quite  pleased.  If  get  de  rain  in  tree 
days,  very  good  fun ;  if  not,  dey  kill  us  all,  dat  very  good 
fun  too  for  de  niggers ;  but  we'll  cut  and  run,  and  get  de 
start  for  tree  days  ;  dat's  de  trick  'xactly." 

Tim's  speech  had  completely  satisfied  the  savages.  The 
shouts  lately  so  angry  quickly  turned  to  those  of  merri 
ment,  as  they  all  looked  forward  to  rain  within  three  days. 
Ned  lost  no  time  in  preparation,  and  determined  to  start  at 
once. 

To  avoid  suspicion,  it  was  arranged  that  the  natives 
should  carry  a  certain  amount  of  provisions  to  the  grove  of 
palm-trees  by  the  lake ;  shelter  was  not  required,  as  there 
was  neither  dew  nor  rain.  It  would  be  impossible  to  carry 
much,  as  Ned  determined  to  make  forced  marches ;  there 
fore  the  two  old  knapsacks  were  quickly  arranged  with 
longer  straps  that  would  fit  the  broad  shoulders  of  the  two 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  347 

powerful  young  men,  and  these  were  packed  with  strips  of 
dried  meat,  with  a  quantity  of  native  bread  that,  dried  in 
the  sun,  would  serve  in  the  place  of  biscuit  during  a  long 
journey.  The  sextant,  compass,  etc.,  and  ammunition,  com 
pleted  the  outfit ;  but  of  the  original  stock  of  the  latter  no 
more  than  sixty  rounds  of  ball  cartridge  remained,  and  the 
shot  had  been  expended  years  ago.  The  cartridges  were 
divided  between  them ;  and  with  their  two  double-barrelled 
guns  with  new  flints,  and  a  sharp  cutlass  each,  they  accom 
panied  the  natives  to  the  palm-trees,  where  they  were  to  be 
left  in  perfect  seclusion  for  the  stipulated  three  days. 

The  natives  quickly  left  them,  and  as  the  moon  would  be 
nearly  full,  Ned  determined  to  start  shortly  after  sunset. 

At  that  hour,  when  the  natives  were  engaged  in  penning 
their  cattle,  which  they  had  driven  within  the  kraals,  Ned 
and  Tim  departed,  followed  by  old  Nero.  They  knew  the 
country  for  the  first  twenty  miles  :  thus  they  accomplished 
that  distance  in  about  five  hours ;  and  then  continued  to 
march  throughout  the  night  over  vast  plains  of  withered 
grass  interspersed  with  large  trees. 

By  sunrise  on  the  following  morning  they  had  marched 
about  forty  miles,  and  had  gained  a  fair  start  of  the  natives 
in  case  they  should  be  pursued.  During  the  entire  distance 
they  had  found  no  water,  but  happily  shortly  after  day 
break  they  arrived  at  a  ravine,  which,  although  a  formida 
ble  torrent  during  the  rainy  season,  was  now  reduced  to  a 
dry  rocky  bed,  with  small  pools  of  clear  water  at  intervals. 
Having  bathed  in  a  pool,  they  slept  beneath  an  overhanging 
rock  which  gave  a  delightful  shade,  which  was  the  more 
grateful  as  the  trees  were  all  devoid  of  leaves,  owing  to  the 
intense  drought.  They  woke  at  about  2  P.M.,  and  imme 
diately  buckled  on  their  knapsacks  and  refilled  their  goat 
skins  with  clear  water  for  the  march. 

Ned's  greatest  anxiety  lay  in  the  want  of  water.     The 


348  CAST   UP  JJY   THE  SEA. 

country  was  entirely  unknown  to  him,  and  he  knew  that 
ferocious  tribes  of  negroes  existed  between  them  and  Zan 
zibar,  but  these  he  did  not  fear  so  much  as  a  frightful  death 
by  thirst.  The  entire  country  was  burned  up,  the  under 
wood  in  the  jungles  was  dead,  the  trees  leafless,  and  the 
plains  were  a  bright  yellow  ;  the  ground  was  cracked  in  all 
directions  into  broad  and  deep  fissures,  and  the  ravines  that 
generally  held  water  were  completely  dry.  Trusting  in 
Providence,  but  finally  sensible  of  the  extreme  danger  of 
the  journey,  which  was  simply  a  last  resource  to  escape 
certain  death,  Ned  led  the  way. 

They  had  hardly  started,  when  he  perceived  a  large  herd 
of  buffaloes  coming  across  the  plain  toward  the  ravine, 
and  raising  a  cloud  of  dust  from  the  parched  ground  as 
they  galloped  toward  the  drinking  -  place.  As  fresh  meat 
for  themselves  and  the  dog  was  sorely  needed,  Ned  deter 
mined  to  obtain  a  shot  if  possible ;  accordingly  both  he  and 
Tirn  concealed  themselves,  and  watched  the  herd  of  thirsty 
animals,  who  now  rushed  headlong  to  the  water.  Present 
ly  they  arrived  at  the  margin  of  the  ravine,  down  which 
they  hurried  in  a  dense  mass,  and  Ned  distinctly  heard  the 
clattering  of  the  loose  rocks  which  fell  as  the  numerous 
hoofs  dislodged  them.  Creeping  quietly  toward  the  spot 
where  the  herd  had  disappeared  in  the  ravine,  Ned  reached 
the  precipitous  bank,  accompanied  by  Tim  and  Nero.  Look 
ing  cautiously  over  the  edge,  he  observed  a  herd  of  about  a 
hundred  buffaloes  wallowing  in  the  pool  below.  As  he  re 
quired  meat  of  a  good  description,  he  selected  a  cow  instead 
of  a  bull,  and  aiming  steadily  at  the  shoulder  of  one  that 
stood  about  fifty  yards  distant,  he  fired.  For  the  moment 
she  fell  to  the  shot,  and  Nero,  with  his  usual  courage,  dash 
ed  forward  to  the  attack  and  seized  her  by  the  ear.  Re 
covering  on  the  instant,  the  buffalo  sprang  upon  her  feet, 
and  tossing  her  head  with  immense  force,  she  swung  the 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  349 

dog  high  in  the  air.  Unfortunately  poor  old  Nero  had  lost 
many  of  his  teeth,  and  the  ear  slipped  from  his  hold.  Fall 
ing  from  the  height  of  several  feet,  the  buffalo  with  great 
adroitness  caught  the  dog  upon  her  sharp  -  pointed  horns 
and  bored  him  upon  the  ground.  The  herd  had  in  the 
mean  time  remained  standing  in  astonishment,  as  they  had 
never  before  heard  the  report  of  a  gun,  neither  could  they 
distinguish  the  cause ;  but  as  they  saw  the  wounded  cow 
attacking  the  dog,  they  were  seized  with  a  sudden  fury, 
and  one  and  all,  headed  by  an  enormous  bull,  charged  des 
perately  forward  upon  the  unlucky  Nero.  There  was  a 
savage  and  tremendous  tumult  of  hoofs  and  horns.  The 
wounded  cow  that  was  streaming  with  blood  from  the 
shoulder  became  the  object  of  attack  as  well  as  the  dog; 
she  was  bored  to  the  ground  by  a  phalanx  of  maddened  an 
imals,  who  now  fought  with  each  other  in  their  rage,  while 
others  tossed  in  the  air  and  alternately  trampled  under  their 
feet  a  black  woolly  mass  that  had  entirely  lost  the  shape  of 
a  dog.  All  this  had  happened  so  quickly  that  Ned  had 
neither  time  nor  power  to  render  assistance.  The  rage  of 
the  buffaloes  was  such  that  he  fully  expected  they  would 
turn  their  attack  upon  him  should  he  be  discovered ;  ac 
cordingly  he  dared  not  fire  until  both  he  and  Tim  had 
climbed  to  the  top  of  a  large  fragment  of  rock  about  seven 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  ground  on  the  margin  of  the  ra 
vine.  From  this  secure  position  he  fired,  at  the  shoulder  of 
a  large  bull  in  the  midst  of  the  melee,  now  within  twenty- 
paces  of  him.  For  an  instant  the  struggle  ceased,  and  the 
entire  herd,  leaving  the  cow  dead  upon  the  ground,  charged 
recklessly  toward  the  spot  where  the  smoke  of  the  gun 
hung  heavily  among  the  bushes.  It  was  well  that  Ned  and 
Tim  had  taken  the  precaution  to  secure  a  strong  position  ; 
the  herd  came  thundering  up  the  steep  bank  of  the  ravine, 
and  as  a  wave  is  broken  by  a  reef,  so  the  dense  body  di- 


350  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

vided  on  either  side  the  rock  upon  which  Ned  stood, 
against  which  they  were  pressed  by  the  weight  of  those  be 
hind.  Although  ammunition  was  scarce,  Ned  could  not  re 
sist  a  downward  shot  in  revenge  at  the  neck  of  a  huge  bull, 
whose  tough  sides  rubbed  against  the  rock  close  to  his  feet 
as  he  rushed  blindly  past ;  the  ball  passed  through  the 
spine,  and  he  fell  dead,  the  rest  of  the  herd  galloping  over 
his  body.  Following  their  mad  impulse,  the  herd  dashed 
wildly  on,  they  knew  not  whither,  and  shortly  nothing  could 
be  distinguished  but  a  dense  cloud  of  dust  upon  the  plain 
as  they  disappeared  in  the  distance. 

Ned  and  Tim  jumped  from  their  stronghold  and  ran 
quickly  down  to  the  spot  where  the  poor  dog  lay,  crushed 
to  a  mummy  by  the  infuriated  herd. 

It  was  Edith's  ^dog,  and  Ned  recalled  the  day  when  he 
left  the  rectory  and  saw  her  for  the  last  time,  and  Nero 
came  bounding  after  him.  From  that  moment  the  dog  had 
been  the  faithful  companion  of  all  his  wanderings,  and  the 
partaker  of  every  danger  and  hardship  ;  he  had  slept  by  his 
side  at  night,  and  watched  over  his  safety ;  and,  next  to 
Tim,  Nero  was  his  greatest  friend.  His  soft  curly  coat 
was  now  a  mass  of  matted  gore,  and  nothing  remained  that 
bore  the  faintest  resemblance  to  the  fine  old  dog  that  a  few 
minutes  before  was  full  of  courage  and  vigor. 

Tim  fairly  blubbered  like  a  child  as  he  and  Ned  dug  a 
hole  in  the  sand  with  two  stakes  that  they  had  sharpened 
with  their  cutlasses,  and  they  buried  their  faithful  compan 
ion.  As  they  covered  the  grave  writh  large  stones  and 
thorn-bushes  to  prevent  the  body  from  being  exhumed  by 
hyenas,  Ned  lingered  for  a  few  minutes  on  the  spot,  and 
then  sorrowfully  buckled  on  his  knapsack  and  slung  his 
water-skin  upon  his  shoulders.  Taking  up  their  guns, 
they  silently  commenced  their  dreary  march :  neither  could 
speak. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  351 

It  was  intensely  hot,  and  not  a  cloud  shaded  the  sky. 
They  had  cut  a  few  steaks  off  the  buffalo,  and  the  air  was 
already  swarming  with  vultures  that  had  observed  the  car 
casses  from  the  immense  altitudes  where,  themselves  invis 
ible  from  the  earth,  they  soared  throughout  the  day  upon 
their  untiring  wings,  and  watched  for  prey  beneath  with 
telescopic  sight. 

They  had  inarched  for  about  four  hours  over  arid  plains 
almost  devoid  of  trees,  when  they  arrived  at  a  broad  belt 
of  forest ;  passing  through  this,  they  entered  upon  a  vast 
tract  of  high  tangled  grass  that  was  nearly  double  the  height 
of  a  man :  this  was  perfectly  impenetrable,  and,  after  hav 
ing  vainly  endeavored  to  discover  a  path,  Ned  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  they  must  alter  their  course,  or  trust  to  a 
broad  track  that  had  been  made  by  the  trampling  of  ele 
phants.  Tim  suggested  that  the  latter  might  possibly  lead 
them  to  water.  It  was  nearly  dark ;  and  after  wandering 
fruitlessly  upon  the  tracks  which  turned  in  various  direc 
tions,  there  was  no  other  course  than  to  halt  for  the  night. 
They  now  felt  the  loss  of  their  good  friend  Nero,  who  had. 
always  been  their  faithful  sentry ;  and  fearful  of  sleeping 
without  a  watch  being  kept,  it  was  resolved  that,  although 
tired,  they  should  take  it  in  turns  to  keep  guard  through 
out  the  night.  They  cleared  a  small  space  in  the  high 
grass,  made  a  fire,  upon  which  they  threw  for  a  few  min 
utes  their  strips  of  buffalo  meat  which  served  for  their 
dinner,  and  Ned  first  went  to  sleep.  The  moon  was  bright, 
and  had  the  country  been  clear,  the  night  would  have  been 
the  most  favorable  time  for  marching.  Tim,  being  on  guard, 
had  taken  his  station  on  the  top  of  a  large  white  ant-hill 
about  twelve  feet  high,  at  the  foot  of  which  Ned  was 
asleep ;  from  this  elevated  position  he  had  an  extensive  view 
of  the  bright  yellow  plain  that  glistened  in  the  moonlight 
like  burnished  gold.  Lions  were  roaring  in  the  distance, 


352  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

but  Tim  was  so  accustomed  to  this  sound  that  it  made  lit 
tle  impression  upon  him,  and  for  about  an  hour  he  kept  a 
vigilant  watch.  As  Tim  was  a  Christian,  he  never  omitted 
to  say  his  prayers,  and  it  suddenly  occurred  to  him  that  he 
had  forgotten  his  evening  devotions ;  accordingly,  as  he  sat 
on  guard  on  the  conical  summit  of  the  ant-hill,  he  repeated 
his  accustomed  prayer,  and,  being  thoroughly  fatigued,  he 
fell  asleep  before  he  had  actually  concluded  it.  How  long 
he  slept  he  could  not  tell,  but  he  suddenly  woke,  as  what  he 
imagined  to  be  the  bright  sunlight  was  streaming  in  his 
eyes.  A  vivid  glare  shone  upon  the  sky,  and  an  intense 
line  of  light  streamed  along  the  surface  of  the  earth.  Re 
covering  from  his  sleep,  Tim  shouted  "  Fire !"  and  at  once 
scrambling  down  from  his  high  post,  he  drew  his  sharp  cut 
lass  and  set  to  work  like  a  madman  to  mow  down  the  high 
grass  by  which  they  were  surrounded. 

Ned  woke  in  an  instant,  and,  quickly  made  aware  of  the 
danger,  he  joined  Tim  in  his  work  with  a  desperation  in 
cited  by  the  extremity  of  the  moment.  The  wind  was 
blowing  strong  from  the  direction  they  wished  to  pursue  on 
the  following  morning,  and  the  prairie  being  on  fire,  an  im 
mense  volume  of  flames  that  extended  in  a  long  line  that 
appeared  to  have  no  limit  was  driving  toward  them  at  a 
prodigious  rate.  As  Tim  had  been  asleep  for  some  hours, 
he  had  not  observed  the  fire  until  it  was  within  a  mile  of 
their  position,  and  the  bright  light  had  awakened  him. 

.  Keeping  the  ant-hill  for  a  centre,  they  now  worked  des 
perately,  and  cut  down  the  grass  in  a  circle  until  the  mound 
stood  in  a  clear  space  about  seventy  feet  in  diameter ;  they 
now  dragged  the  cut  grass  to  the  leeward  side  of  the  circle, 
and  piled  it  against  the  wall  of  dried  and  inflammable  ma 
terial  that  was  to  be  ignited  to  clear  a  space  before  them. 
Taking  a  brand  from  their  fire  that  was  still  burning,  Ned 
lighted  the  pile  to  leeward,  and  they  both  immediately  re- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  353 

treated  to  the  windward  side  of  their  cleared  circle.  The 
grass  was  so  intensely  dry  that  it  burned  like  flax,  and  the 
flames  at  once  leaped  upward  to  a  height  of  about  thirty 
feet  with  a  loud  rushing  sound,  accompanied  by  cracking 
reports  resembling  pistol-shots,  as  the  reedy  steins  burst  in 
the  blazing  fire.  The  heat  was  almost  insupportable,  and 
Ned.  was  forced  to  retreat  into  the  high  grass  to  windward, 
while  Tim  sheltered  himself  behind  the  ant-hill,  as  the  flames 
spread  with  wonderful  velocity,  and,  swept  by  the  strong 
breeze,  they  licked  up  the  grass  before  them  and  rushed 
forward,  leaving  a  dark  and  level  surface  behind  them  like 
a  pall  of  black  velvet,  in  which  flared  the  withered  stumps 
of  numerous  trees. 

In  less  than  ten  minutes  several  acres  of  ground  were 
cleared  by  the  fire  to  leeward ;  and  although  the  grass  had 
ignited  around  the  circle,  so  that  Ned  was  forced  to  join 
Tim  at  the  ant-hill,  it  burned  slowly  to  windward,  and  did 
not  produce  the  distressing  heat  to  which  he  had  at  first 
been  subjected. 

The  warning  had  been  short,  and  had  Tim  slept  a  little 
longer,  nothing  could  have  saved  them  from  destruction. 
The  ground  left  by  the  receding  fire  was  scarcely  cool 
enough  to  be  endurable  by  the  feet,  when  dense  volumes  of 
smoke  rolled  over  them  from  the  advancing  fire,  accompa 
nied  by  a  terrific  roar,  as  the  flames,  fanned  by  the  wind, 
leaped  forward  as  though  rejoicing  in  their  powtt:  to  anni 
hilate  all  before  them.  Ned  and  Tim  were  obliged  to  rush 
far  forward  upon  the  burned  ground  to  avoid  suffocation. 
The  sight  was  grand  in  the  extreme,  as  the  whole  earth  ap 
peared  to  be  in  a  blaze  of  fire  farther  than  the  eye  could 
reach.  Presently  it  reached  the  cleared  circle,  and  in  an  in 
stant  the  flames  ceased  in  that  portion  of  the  line,  which, 
now  broken,  swept  by  on  either  side,  and  vanished  as  it  met 
the  limits  already  burned.  They  were  safe !  And  as  Ned 


354  CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

looked  forward  now  in  the  rear  of  the  advanced  line  of  fire, 
the  earth  was  cleared  of  every  particle  of  vegetation,  and 
was  covered  with  a  light  black  ash,  as  though  with  a  light 
fold  of  crape. 

-  There  was  no  longer  any  danger  to  fear  from  either  man 
or  beast,  and  the  two  tired  and  blackened  figures,  Ned  and 
Tim,  lay  down  and  slept  till  morning. 

They  rose  before  sunrise,  and,  as  the  ground  was  even 
and  perfectly  cleared  from  all  obstacles,  they  marched  rap 
idly  by  compass,  steering  direct  for  the  position  of  Zanzi 
bar.  Ned  had  his  chart  with  him  that  he  had  preserved 
throughout  his  first  journey  from  the  coast,  which  he  knew 
to  be  correct ;  therefore  there  would  be  no  difficulty  in  dis 
covering  the  right  position,  provided  that  the  nature  of  the 
country  should  permit  a  direct  line  of  march.  Aware  of 
the  great  importance  of  speed,  they  pushed  on  at  a  rapid 
pace  throughout  the  day,  and  only  halted  when  they  arrived 
at  water  in  a  beautifully  wooded  hollow  at  about  four,  in 
the  afternoon.  Ned  calculated  that  they  had  travelled  thir 
ty-five  miles  since  the  morning. 

They  had  now  reached  the  origin  of  the  prairie  fire,  which 
had  evidently  commenced  on  the  high  bank  of  the  stream 
which  they  discovered  in  the  wooded  hollow  beneath.  In 
the  wet  season  this  was  a  considerable  river,  but  the  dry 
weather  had  reduced  it  to  a  trickling  brook  of  beautifully 
clear  water  that  rippled  over  the  pebbly  bed  in  a  depth  of 
only  a  few  inches,  except  in  certain  bends  where  the  torrent 
had  hollowed  out  deep  pools :  these  were  some  acres  in  ex 
tent,  and  hardly  had  Ned  descended  to  the  river's  bed  than 
his  ears  were  delighted  by  the  loud  snort  of  hippopotami, 
and  he  noticed  several  of  these  animals  with  their  heads-above 
the  water.  He  lost  no  time  in  endeavoring  to  procure  a 
dinner.  A  large  tamarind-tree  grew  in  the  steep  bank  above 
the  deep  pool;  hiding  behind  this,  Ned  sent  Tim  to  the  op- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  355 

posite  side  of  the  pool  to  shout  and  to  throw  stones  at  the 
hippopotami,  so  as  to  drive  them  over  to  the  spot  where  he 
was  lying  in  ambush.  This  had  the  desired  effect,  and 
presently,  after  a  succession  of  loud  snorting  and  repeated 
diving,  the  hippopotami  retreated  from  Tim's  side  of  the 
pool,  and  a  large  head  suddenly  appeared  on  the  surface 
exactly  beneath  Ned  and  within  five  or  six  yards  of  the 
muzzle  of  his  gun.  He  fired  in  the  back  of  the  head  be 
tween  the  ears,  as  the  animal  was  looking  away  from,  him, 
its  attention  being  engaged  by  Tim.  It  sank  immediately, 
but  Ned  felt  certain  that  it  was  killed ;  he  therefore  de 
termined  to  waste  no  more  ammunition^  but  to  wait  un 
til  it  should  float,  which  would  be  in  about  an  hour  and  a 
half. 

They  now  strolled  up  the  bed  of  the  stream  to  seek  for 
a  convenient  spot  for  the  night's  bivouac. 

They  were  passing  across  a  broad  sandy  surface,  when 
they  suddenly  arrived  at  a  footpath  well  trodden  by  human 
feet ;  this  led  to  a  well  that  had  been  dug  in  the  sand  to  a 
depth  of  several  feet,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  it 
was  the  regular  watering-place  of  some  village  in  the  imme 
diate  neighborhood. 

As  the  opposite  bank  was  thickly  covered  with  fine  for 
est-trees  and  dense  jungle,  Ned  proposed  that  they  should 
conceal  themselves  and  watch  for  the  women,  who  in  those 
countries  always  fetch  water  in  their  jars  at  a  little  before 
sunset :  it  was  now  about  five  o'clock. 

They  had  hardly  concealed  themselves  when  a  long  string 
of  women  appeared  from  the  forest.  They  were  almost  na 
ked,  and  each  carried  a  large  earthenware  jar  upon  her 
head ;  some  were  accompanied  by  their  little  children,  all 
of  whom  carried  jars  of  various  dimensions  proportioned  to 
their  size. 

As  they  filled  their  jars  at  the  well  Tim  stepped  forward 


356  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

and  accosted  them  in  his  own  language,  while  Ned  remain 
ed  concealed  lest  his  strange  appearance  should  frighten 
them.  At  first  they  were  startled  at  Tim's  sudden  arrival 
among  them,  but  as  they  spoke  a  dialect  that  somewhat  re 
sembled  his  language  they  quickly  understood  him,  and  aft 
er  some  explanation  Tim  called  to  Ned  that  he  should  join 
him.  Some  of  the  women  were  young  and  exceedingly 
pretty,  with  remarkably  well-shaped  noses  and  fine  eyes,  al 
though  their  hair  was  woolly.  They  showed  some  signs  of 
surprise  at  seeing  Ned,  who  had  appeared  to  Tim's  sum 
mons,  but  without  the  slightest  fear  they  examined  his 
white  skin  and  light-brown  hair,  which  Tim  had  pointed 
out  for  their  admiration.  Ned  then  spoke  to  them  and  ex 
plained  that  they  were  lost,  and  had  strayed  there  from  a 
distant  tribe  that  had  threatened  to  kill  them.  Pie  ended 
by  asking  to  be  received  as  a  friend,  and  explained  that  he 
had  just  killed  a  hippopotamus  in  a  pool  a  few  hundred 
yards  distant  that  would  supply  them  with  meat.  At  this 
announcement  several  of  the  women  started  with  their  jars 
for  the  village,  which  they  declared  was  at  no  great  dis 
tance,  and  they  requested  the  strangers  to  remain  until  they 
should  return  with  some  of  their  people. 

In  about  half  an  hour  a  large  number  of  men,  armed 
with  lances,  were  seen  to  issue  from  the  forest,  accompa 
nied  by  the  female  messengers.  Upon  arriving  witliin  fifty 
yards  of  Ned,  they  stuck  their  lances  in  the  sand  and  ad 
vanced  unarmed  toward  him  as  a  sign  of  friendship,  and 
upon  a  near  approach  they  went  tlirough  the  customary  sa 
lute  of  raising  both  his  hands  above  his  head.  "When  Tim 
had  been  subjected  to  a  similar  operation  they  all  sat  down, 
and  Ned  described  their  history  from  the  time  of  the  ship 
wreck  and  their  escape  from  the  tribe,  which  he  now  discov 
ered  to  be  their  deadly  enemy. 

By  the  time  that  he  and  Tim  had  concluded  their  stories 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  357 

Ned  expected  that  the  hippopotamus  must  have  floated ; 
accordingly  he  led  the  men  to  the  spot,  and  happily  discov 
ered  that  it  had  risen  to  the  surface.  The  natives,  having 
heard  that  it  had  been  killed,  were  already  provided  with 
ropes  and  axes.  Rushing  into  the  water  in  a  body  with 
loud  shouts  to  scare  the  crocodiles,  they  attached  ropes  to 
the  legs  and  hauled  it  to  the  shore.  It  was  a  fine  large  male, 
and  Tim's  proverb  of  "  Fill  de  nigger's  belly  make  de  nig 
ger  frens,"  was  quickly  exemplified,  as  they  cut  up  the  mass 
ive  animal,  and,  heavily  laden  with  fat  and  flesh,  they  con 
ducted  Ned  and  his  companion  to  their  village  with  great 
rejoicing. 

It  was  a  small  but  pretty  village,  situated  about  a  hun 
dred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  river,  in  the  rocky  hollow 
of  a  mountain  that  rose  to  the  height  of  several  thousand 
feet.  This  had  been  a  landmark  by  which  Ned  had  steered 
for  the  last  two  days.  The  ascent  to  the  village  was  ex 
ceedingly  precipitous,  and  it  was  entered  by  a  narrow  cleft 
in  the  rock  like  a  small  alley,  the  cliffs  of  which  rose  like 
walls  on  either  side  to  the  height  of  several  hundred  feet. 
Having  ascended  the  rough  blocks  of  granite  that  formed 
natural  steps  up  to  the  cleft,  a  strong  gate-way  of  hooked 
thorns  that  protected  the  narrow  entrance  was  passed 
through,  and  the  party  entered  the  peculiar  hollow  in  which 
the  village  was  situated.  This  was  of  considerable  extent, 
comprising  about  three  acres,  in  which  were  beautiful 
groves  of  bananas,  shady  sycamores,  and  neat  gardens,  sur 
rounding  about  a  hundred  circular  dwellings  constructed  of 
bamboos  thatched  with  reeds.  The  village  appeared  like  a 
huge  bird's-nest  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain,  which  rose 
abruptly  on  all  sides,  and  completely  encircled  it  with  per 
pendicular  cliffs:  these  could  only  be  scaled  by  a  narrow 
and  dangerous  pathway  that  had  been  cut  out  of  the  rock, 
to  enable  the  inhabitants  to  escape  to  the  top  of  the  mount- 


358  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

ain  in  the  event  of  an  attack.  Altogether  it  was  an  exceed' 
ingiy  strong  position,  as  there  was  no  way  of  ascending  this 
side  of  the  mountain  except  by  the  narrow  cleft  already 
mentioned. 

Ned  and  Tim  slept  soundly  in  a  clean  hut  that  had  been 
allotted  to  them.  On  the  following  morning  the  women 
brought  them  a  quantity  of  fresh  milk,  contained  in  large 
gourd  shells,  and  a  wooden  bowl  or  broad  dish  of  excellent 
porridge,  mixed  with  pounded  hippopotamus  flesh  and 
pumpkin,  and  flavored  with  red  pepper  and  salt.  After 
breakfast  they  washed  themselves  in  a  shallow  pool  among 
the  rocks  in  the  river's  bed,  and  returned  to  the  village  to 
attend  a  general  meeting  of  the  inhabitants. 

The  people  were  already  assembled  beneath  a  large  syc 
amore  in  the  centre  of  the  village,  and  Ned  observed  with 
surprise  that  a  beautiful  young  girl  of  about  nineteen  sat 
upon  a  raised  seat  as  their  chief  or  queen.  She  rose  as 
Ned  advanced,  and  smiling  graciously,  she  raised  his  hands 
three  times  above  his  head,  and  requested  him  to  be  seated 
upon  a  lion's  skin  by  her  side. 

The  whole  story  of  the  shipwreck  and  Ned's  wanderings 
up  to  the  present  time  had  to  be  repeated,  during  which  the 
queen's  large  black  eyes  were  riveted  upon  Ned's  handsome 
countenance  and  fine  manly  figure.  The  story  was  com 
pleted,  and  loud  murmurs  arose  upon  all  sides,  until  an  old 
man  with  snow-white  hair  arose  and  addressed  the  queen 
and  her  people. 

"  Great  queen,"  he  said, "  it  is  the  custom  of  our  tribe  to 
receive  the  stranger  with  hospitality,  as  we  ourselves  may 
require  assistance  when  in  a  strange  country.  According 
to  our  rule,  we  have  welcomed  the  man  with  the  yellow 
hair ;  we  have  lodged  and  fed  him  and  his  companion,  and 
we  will  keep  them  for  three  days,  as  we  are  bound  to  do  by 
our  custom,  but  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  they  must  de- 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  359 

part.  We  are  weak,  and  the  Mazita,  from  whom  they  have 
escaped,  are  strong.  There  is  no  rain  to  wash  away  the 
foot-prints :  they  will  follow  on  their  tracks,  and  we  shall 
suffer  at  their  hands  for  harboring  those  who  have  escaped 
from  their  lances.  Is  this  not  true,  my  brothers  ?"  said  the 
old  man,  as  he  turned  to  the  assembly. 

"  True  !"  shouted  every  voice  except  {Jiat  of  the  young 
queen. 

"  We  have  no  wish  to  remain,"  said  Ned.  "  We  thank 
you,  great  queen,  for  your  welcome,"  he  continued,  as  h  ; 
turned  toward  her  and  raised  her  hands  above  her  head, 
"  and  we  should  be  sorry  to  bring  misfortune  upon  you  in 
return  for  your  kindness.  I  only  beg  you  to  keep  us  until 
to-morrow  shall  have  passed,  as  our  feet  are  sore  with  the 
hard  march,  and  that  you  will  give  us  a  guide  across  the 
desert  on  the  following  day." 

A  shout  of  approval  followed  this  speech ;  but  the  qfueen 
commanded  silence.  She  rose  and  spoke,  and  Ned  thought 
he  had  never  seen  a  more  graceful  figure.  She  was  tall 
and  rather  slender,  although  her  limbs  were  beautifully  de 
veloped.  Her  head  was  prettily  ornamented  with  a  chap- 
let  of  various  colored  beads  interspersed  with  bright  feath 
ers  ;  the  rest  of  her  scanty  attire  consisted  of  a  short  fringe 
of  about  a  foot  in  length,  formed  of  innumerable  single  rows 
of  small  beads  threaded  upon  the  twisted  fibre  of  the  plan 
tain,  and  fastened  to  a  leather  belt  around  her  waist,  from 
which  they  descended  like  a  short  kilt  to  a  few  inches  above 
her  knees.  The  beads  were  tastefully  arranged  in  various 
colors,  and  their  weight  retained  them  in  the  necessary  po 
sition  to  conceal  the  figure.  She  had  bracelets  of  polished 
brass  rings  upon  her  wrists  and  above  the  elbows,  and  ank 
lets  of  the  same  metal,  ornamented  with  minute  bells  that 
tinkled  as  she  moved.  Her  complexion  was  a  deep  copper 
color,  and  when  she  spoke  she  exposed  a  beautiful  row  of 


360  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

teeth  as  white  as  pearls.  Looking  proudly  at  the  assembly 
around  her,  she  said :  "Are  my  people  like  the  apes  that 
fear  the  approach  of  the  leopard,  or  are  they  like  the  lion 
that  guards  his  own  den  ?  Did  I  not  slay  this  lion  upon 
which  I  sit  ?  and  am  I  not  a  lioness  that  will  protect  my 
cubs  ?  The  strangers  that  seek  my  protection  are  my  chil 
dren,  and  I  will  guard  them  as  the  lioness  fights  for  her 
young." 

As  the  beautiful  young  queen  said  these  words  with  de 
termined  emphasis,  she  cast  her  eyes  upon  Ned,  who  was 
not  slow  to  perceive  an  expression  of  tenderness  that  he  at 
once  feared  might  lead  to  a  difficulty.  The  people  whom 
she  addressed,  naturally  feared  their  powerful  neighbors ; 
and  not  being  smitten  to  the  heart  by  Ned's  personal  attrac 
tions,  they  did  not  enter  into  their  queen's  feelings.  But 
the  old  man  who  had  already  spoken  had  already  too  much 
experience  to  contradict  the  passionate  young  Amazon  who 
ruled  them ;  accordingly  he  replied,  like  an  old  courtier, 
that  "the  queen's  will  was  her  people's  pleasure,  even 
should  she  command  them  to  die." 

After  a  long  conference  the  assembly  broke  up ;  every 
one  looking  discontented  but  the  young  queen,  who,  shortly 
after  she  had  retired,  sent  one  of  her  maids  as  a  messenger 
to  request  Ned's  attendance  in  the  royal  hut. 

After  a  rest  of  three  days  in  this  delightful  village  Ned 
requested  a  guide  to  lead  them  through  the  desert,  which 
was  described  as  a  hard  journey  of  three  days  without  wa 
ter.  Tim  had  at  once  perceived  that  the  young  queen  had 
fallen  desperately  in  love  with  Ned,  and  he  dreaded  the  con 
sequences,  as  she  would  endeavor  to  detain  them  in  her 
country ;  he  therefore  advised  Ned  to  leave  the  village,  and 
to  push  on  as  rapidly  as  possible,  as  the  fickleness  of  a  pas 
sionate  young  savage  might  eventually  lead  to  a  danger 
equal  to  that  from  which  they  had  just  escaped.  Ned  was 


CAST   UP  BY*  THE  SEA.  361 

equally  aware  of  the  dilemma,  and  he  agreed  with  Tim  that 
it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  be  off  without  further  delay, 
as  he  had  determined  to  push  for  Zanzibar  at  all  hazards, 
where  they  would  receive  protection  from  the  Portuguese, 
and  be  forwarded  to  England.  Already  Ned  had  discov 
ered  that  the  beads  worn  by  the  queen  and  others  of  the 
tribe  were  brought  by  Arab  traders  from  the  coast  in  ex 
change  for  ivory  and  slaves,  and  he  trusted  that  when  they 
should  have  accomplished  the  terrible  desert  journey,  the 
great  difficulties  of  the  march  would  have  been  overcome, 
and  they  would  meet  trading-parties  of  either  Arabs  or 
Portuguese,  from  whom  they  could  obtain  assistance. 

Tim  had  already  engaged  a  guide  who  professed  to  know 
the  desert  route,  and  it  was  agreed  that  they  were  to  start 
after  sunset  by  stealth  and  march  throughout  the  night  as 
rapidly  as  possible,  so  as  to  travel  in  a  cool  temperature  and 
to  consume  as  little  water  as  possible.  The  goat-skins  were 
in  good  order,  and  Ned  proposed  that  the  guide  should  pro 
cure  an  ox,  which  should  be  loaded  with  two  extra  water- 
'  skins :  they  could  then  drive  the  ox  throughout  the  night, 
and  kill  it  when  it  should  become  distressed  from  thirst ; 
they  could  then  replenish  their  own  water-skins,  and  eat 
what  they  might  require  of  the  animal. 

It  was  about  noon  when  these  preparations  were  com 
pleted,  and  Ned  anxiously  awaited  the  hour  of  sunset.  He 
was  sitting  in  his  hut,  and  had  just  packed  his  few  articles 
of  baggage,  when  he  was  sent  for  by  the  queen.  When  he 
entered  her  hut  she  was  reclining  upon  an  immense  lion's 
skin  ;  the  shaggy  black  mane  was  supported  by  a  bundle  of 
sweet-scented  grass  so  as  to  form  a  pillow,  upon  which  she 
leaned  her  beautifully-rounded  arm,  and  without  rising  from 
her  position,  she  told  Ned  to  sit  upon  a  leopard-skin  by  her 
side. 

"Son  of  the  yellow  hair,"  she  said  as  she  looked  fondly 

Q 


362  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

at  him,  "  we  are  alone,  and  I  wish  to  speak  to  you  on  a 
matter  of  great  importance.  I  had  a  dream  last  night  that 
has  disturbed  me.  I  was  sitting  before  my  people  beneath 
the  sycamore,  when  the  air  suddenly  became  dark,  and  I 
heard  a  noise  like  thunder  in  the  sky.  I  fell,  and  knew 
nothing ;  but,  when  I  recovered,  I  felt  as  though  I  were 
falling  from  a  dizzy  height ;  at  length,  when  I  expected  to 
be  crushed  against  the  ground,  I  was  caught  and  saved 
by  a  pair  of  strong  white  arms,  and  I  found  that  I  was 
in  the  grasp  of  the  son  with  the  yellow  hair.  I  woke,  and 
I  was  alone ;  he  was  not  there  !  Again  I  slept,  and  dream 
ed  I  was  sitting  before  my  people,  and  the  son  of  the  yellow 
hair  sat  by  my  side ;  the  crown  of  beads  that  I  wear  was 
upon  his  head,  and  three  birds  with  bright  feathers  flew 
around  me  and  cried,  in  a  loud  voice,  l  Take  to  thyself  the 
son  of  the  yellow  hair,  and  let  him  sit  upon  the  lion's  skin  !' 
We  can  not  disobey  the  birds,"  continued  the  queen. 
"Now  come  and  sit  with  me  upon  the  lion's  skin  and  be 
my  chief,  and  all  my  people  shall  obey  you  as  their  king." 

This  was  a  climax  to  Ned's  worst  fears ;  the  lovely  queen 
had  determined  that  he  should  share  the  throne  with  her, 
and  he  knew  not  how  to  reply  without  giving  dire  offense. 
As  Ned  had  directed  his  steps  toward  Zanzibar  and  broken 
through  his  long  imprisonment,  his  thoughts  were  engrossed 
with  the  fond  recollections  of  home  and  the  Edith  of  his 
boyish  days,  and  he  longed  to  see  her  grown  into  woman 
hood,  and  to  prove  whether  her  childish  love  had  been  as 
sincere  and  lasting  as  his  own ;  he  now  found  himself  pro 
posed  for  by  a  beautiful  young  savage  from  whom  there 
appeared  but  a  faint  hope  of  escape. 

At  this  difficult  moment  he  was  suddenly  relieved  by  the 
loud  beating  of  an  immense  drum  in  the  court  of  the  queen's 
dwelling ;  it  was  almost  immediately  followed  by  loud  shouts 
and  blowing  of  horns,  while  the  old  man  who  had  spoken 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  363 

at  the  assembly  rushed  into  the  queen's  presence  and  shout 
ed  :  "  My  words  are  true ;  the  Mazita  are  upon  us  !  Up, 
son  of  the  yellow  hair,  and  fight !  We  suffer  for  you !  we 
shall  all  be  slain  !" 

Ned  started  to  his  feet,  as  did  the  young  queen  also.  A 
few  moments  before  her  eyes  had  beamed  with  love;  but 
at  the  sound  of  war  another  expression  took  possession  of 
them,  and  they  brightened  with  a  fire  of  determined  cour 
age.  Before  making  a  reply,  she  coolly  took  from  a  peg  a 
long  bow  made  of  an  elastic  wood  :  this  was  already  strung 
according  to  the  custom  of  that  country ;  she  then  took  a 
piece  of  bees-wax  and  carefully  rubbed  the  string.  There 
was  a  large  quiver  on  the  wall  containing  about  forty  arrows 
frightfully  barbed  and  poisoned  ;  this  she  slung  across  her 
shoulders,  and  addressing  Ned,  she  exclaimed :  "  Son  of  the 
yellow  hair,  fight  by  my  side !  If  we  fall,  we  die  together : 
the  lioness  will  protect  her  cubs." 

Following  the  undaunted  and  beautiful  young  savage, 
Ned  left  her  hut,  and,  upon  entering  the  court,  he  was  met 
by  Tim,  who  assured  him  that  about  two  thousand  of  the 
Mazita  were  in  sight,  advancing  upon  the  village ;  they  had 
first  been  observed  by  the  herd-boys  who  were  minding  the 
goats  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  they  had  immedi 
ately  rushed  to  the  village  and  given  the  alarm. 

The  Mazita  had  discovered  Ned's  escape  on  the  morning 
after  his  start ;  and  as  the  sorcerers  declared  that  no  rain 
would  fall  until  he  and  the  dog  should  be  killed,  they  had 
at  once  collected  a  large  force,  and  followed  so  rapidly  upon 
the  tracks  that  they  had  before  the  evening  arrived  at  the 
skeletons  of  the  buffaloes,  to  which  they  had  been  directed 
by  the  clouds  of  vultures  hovering  in  circles  in  the  air. 

They  guessed  the  direction  of  Ned's  flight  until  they  had 
at  length  arrived  at  the  foot-prints  of  Tim  and  himself  upon 
the  ashes  of  the  newly-burned  grass,  which  conducted  them 


364  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

straight  to  the  village  in  which  they  had  been  received  by 
the  queen  of  the  Mapondas. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost;  and  Ned  immediately 
armed  himself,  and  determined  to  ascend  the  rocks  that 
commanded  the  narrow  approach  to  the  village,  which  he 
felt  confident  he  and  Tim  could  defend  so  long  as  their  am 
munition  lasted.  He  communicated  his  intention  to  the 
warlike  queen,  who  was  eager  for  the  fray. 

Already  about  two  hundred  natives  of  the  village  had 
armed  themselves  with  bows  and  arrows,  and  waited  for 
her  commands.  Ned  advised  that  they  should  be  stationed 
among  the  rocks,  well  concealed,  and  that  they  should  guard 
the  difficult  approach  by  a  constant  flight  of  arrows,  while 
he  and  Tim,  with  the  undaunted  queen,  should  protect  the 
narrow  defile. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  natives  had  disappeared,  and  had 
taken  their  respective  positions  among  the  rocks  without 
the  slightest  noise,  while  Ned  and  Tim  followed  the  active 
queen  up  the  precipitous  cliffs,  and  at  length  took  their  sta 
tions  upon  a  broad  ledge  of  rock  about  a  hundred  feet 
above  the  gate-way,  which,  although  an  exposed  spot,  com 
pletely  commanded  the  approach. 

They  had  hardly  reached  their  station  before  the  dense 
mass  of  the  enemy  were  perceived  advancing  to  the  attack 
from  the  grove  of  bananas  below  the  village:  with  wild 
shouts,  intermingled  with  the  harsh  braying  of  their  horns, 
they  rushed  up  the  steep  ascent  and  delivered  a  shower  of 
arrows  directed  at  Ned  and  Tim,  who,  with  the  heroic 
queen,  were  the  first  objects  that  met  their  view. 

The  arrows  all  fell  short,  and  struck  harmlessly  against 
the  face  of  the  cliff.  It  was  now  the  turn  of  the  defenders. 
The  queen  stood  erect  upon  the  high  shelf  of  rock,  and 
drawing  her  bow  steadily,  with  her  left  arm  as  rigid  as  an 
iron  bar,  she  let  an  arrow  fly  at  a  chief  who  was  leading  the 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  365 

attack ;  he  carried  a  shield  before  him,  in  the  centre  of 
which  the  swift  arrow  struck  with  a  sharp  sound  that  could 
be  distinctly  heard.  Passing  through  the  tough  giraffe's 
hide,  it  nailed  the  shield  to  his  breast,  and  he  fell  backward 
to  die  after  a  few  brief  struggles.  A  loud  cheer  from  the 
defenders  followed  the  successful  shot.  With  admirable 
coolness,  the  queen  exposed  herself  to  a  flight  of  arrows, 
some  of  which  she  escaped  by  nimbly  springing  on  one 
side;  but,  quick  in  return,  she  shot  her  poisoned  arrows 
in  rapid  succession,  nearly  the  whole  of  which  buried  their 
points  in  the  enemy  or  stuck  in  their  tough  shields.  She 
was  a  beautiful  type  of  the  Amazon,  as  she  stood  fearlessly 
upon  the  rock,  and  with  a  face  beaming  with  courage  and 
determination  she  sent  death  into  their  ranks  at  almost 
every  twang  of  her  bow-string. 

"  Well  done,  son  of  the  yellow  hair !"  shouted  the  excited 
Leona  as  Ned  opened  tire,  and  two  of  the  enemy  fell  to  one 
bullet  that  had  passed  through  them  both.  For  an  instant 
this  checked  the  attack;  but  as  Ned's  fire-arms  were  noth 
ing  new  to  the  Mazita,  they  again  pressed  bravely  forward, 
and  that  with  such  determination  and  courage  that  they 
gained  the  narrow  alley  which  led  to  the  gate-way.  This 
was  directly  below  the  spot  upon  which  the  queen  stood, 
supported  by  the  guns  from  Ned  and  Tim,  every  shot  of 
which  told  upon  the  dense  throng  which  pressed  through 
the  difficult  approach.  Ned  requested  Leona  to  kneel  be 
hind  a  large,  loose  mass  of  rock  that  would  protect  her  as 
she  shot:  but  although  the  arrows  were  flying  thick,  the 
dauntless  young  queen  scorned  concealment,  and  with  ex 
traordinary  strength  she  put  her  shoulder  to  the  heavy  frag 
ment  and  moved  it  toward  the  edge  of  the  perpendicular 
cliff.  Ned  laid  his  gun  upon  the  ground,  and  assisted  her 
to  roll  the  rock  upon  the  heads  of  those  a  hundred  feet  be 
low.  It  crashed  with  a  dull  echo  into  the  dense  throng  of 


306  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

fighting-men.  This  was  the  signal  for  a  storm  of  rocks  and 
stones  that  were  now  showered  upon  the  attacking  party 
from  all  sides,  as  many  of  the  defenders  had  manned  the 
cliffs,  upon  which  a  large  store  of  such  missiles  had  been 
prepared  to  resist  an  assault  upon  the  gate-way.  Leona 
had  shot  away  her  last  arrow,  and  she  now  threw  stones 
with  great  rapidity  from  a  large  pile  upon  the  ledge.  The 
alley  was  choked  with  the  dead,  as  the  rocks  hurled  down 
upon  the  enemy  were  more  destructive  than  bullets  from  a 
gun.  Ned  and  Tim  directed  their  fire  at  the  leaders,  and 
brought  them  down  one  by  one  with  fatal  certainty  as  they 
reached  the  gate  and  attempted  to  force  an  entrance.  At 
length  an  enormous  rock  of  several  tons'  weight  that  had 
been  an  original  portion  of  the  cliff,  upon  the  edge  of  which 
it  almost  balanced,  was  set  in  motion  by  the  united  efforts 
of  about  twenty  men,  who  had  worked  the  supporting 
stones  from  beneath  it  with  long  bamboos.  For  a  moment 
the  huge  mass  tottered,  and  the  next  instant  it  fell  forward, 
carrying  with  it  one  of  those  who  had  assisted  to  dislodge 
it  from  its  bed.  This  avalanche  of  stone  rushed  through 
the  air,  accompanied  by  a  shower  of  smaller  rocks  that  had 
been  loosened  by  its  fall. 

With  a  tremendous  crash  it  descended  upon  the  heads 
of  those  below,  crushing  to  instant  death  about  twenty  of 
the  enemy,  and  completely  blocking  up  the  alley,  so  that 
those  between  it  and  the  gateway  were  shut  up  in  a  prison 
of  rock.  With  a  loud  shout  of  triumph  Leona  leaned  over 
the  edge  of  the  cliff  to  watch  the  effect  of  this  tremendous 
fall,  but  at  almost  the  same  moment  her  beautiful  arms  were 
thrown  convulsively  in  the  air  as  an  arrow  pierced  her  bo 
som  and  penetrated  completely  through  her  back.  Ned 
saw  the  barbed  point  as  it  protruded  some  inches  through 
her  soft  dark  skin,  and  catching  her  in  his  arms  just  in  time 
to  prevent  her  from  falling  over  the  cliff,  he  supported  the 


DEATH  OF  THE  AMAZON  QUEEN. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  369 

dying  Amazon.  The  arrow  had  passed  through  her  heart ; 
she  had  instinctively  clasped  one  arm  around  Ned's  neck, 
and  she  fixed  her  large  eyes  fondly  upon  him  for  a  few  mo 
ments  as  she  vainly  strove  to  speak.  With  a  smile  of  love 
and  triumph  upon  her  beautiful  features,  Leona's  trave 
spirit  fled.  Ned  laid  her  body  gently  down,  and  straight 
ening  her  lovely  limbs,  he  placed  her  bow  and  empty  quiver 
by  her  side,  and  then  renewed  the  fight.  M 

There  was  little  left  to  complete  the  victory.  The  fall 
of  the  huge  rock  had  created  a  panic  ;  those  who  had  been 
hemmed  within  the  narrow  passage  had  been  massacred  to 
a  man,  and  Ned  and  Tim  now  opened  fire  with  fatal  effect 
upon  the  retreating  throng,  who  fell  pell-mell  down  the  steep 
approach  in  their  frantic  efforts  to  escape  from  the  cloud  of 
arrows  and  the  bullets  that  whizzed  among  them. 

The  fight  was  over.  The  defenders  had  not  lost  many 
men,  as  they  had  been  more  or  less  protected  by  the,  rocks, 
but  several  were  wounded  by  poisoned  arrows,  whose  death 
was  certain,  as  the  slightest  puncture  would  be  fatal. 

The  body  of  the  courageous  queen  was  laid  out  upon  the 
lion's  skin  upon  which  she  used  to  sit  beneath  the  syca 
more,  and  all  the  women  wept  and  raised  their  loud  shrill 
cry  of  distress,  in  which  the  men  joined  as  they  mourned 
for  the  beautiful  Leona.  Her  bow  and  quiver  lay  by  her 
side ;  and  although  her  lovely  features  were  placid,  the  stern 
smile  of  triumph  still  lingered  upon  her  face  as  Ned,  for  the 
last  time,  looked  upon  her  with  deep  regret  that  he  should 
have  been  the  unwilling  cause  of  her  untimely  end. 

"Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim,  "  dis  a  bad  job  'tirely ;  de  poor 
queen's  dead ;  but  if  she  alive,  dat's  a  worse  job,  she  never 
let  Massa  Ned  go  away.  Neber  see  in  all  my  life  such 
eyes !  De  queen  love  Massa  Ned  like  mad;  bad  ting  dat. 
I  know  de  nigger  queen.  All  fire  one  day,  all  water  do 
next ;  love  you  in  de  night,  kill  you  in  de  morning ;  dat's  de 

Q2 


370  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

trick  'xactly.  Bad  job  de  poor  queen's  dead,  worse  job  if 
she  alive ;  dat's  a  fact  'xactly.  Now,  Massa  Ned,  let's  cut 
and  run  before  anoder  job  begins." 

The  philosophic  Tim  having  given  his  opinion,  with 
which  Ned  could  hardly  disagree,  however  much  he  might 
have  admired  the  beauty  and  courage  of  the  unfortunate 
young  queen,  he  determined  to  start  without  delay,  as  for 
tune  had  hitherto  smiled  upon  their  journey  beyond  his 
most  sanguine  hopes.  Once  across  the  terrible  desert,  he 
would  have  little  to  fear. 

Ned  addressed  himself  to  the  old  man  of  the  village,  and 
declared  that  he  would  not  remain  any  longer  among  them, 
lest  he  might  bring  fresh  calamities  upon  their  tribe ;  and, 
deploring  the  queen's  death,  he  begged  that  he  might  depart 
at  once.  His  determination  was  applauded  by  all  present, 
and  as  the  guide  was  a  native  of  a  tribe  to  which  he  wished 
to  return  on  the  other  side  of  the  desert,  there  was  no  diffi 
culty.  All  was  prepared  for  the  journey ;  an  ox  was  load 
ed  with  two  large  water-skins,  and  after  a  hearty  meal,  Ned 
find  Tim  took  leave  of  their  hosts  and  started.  The  guide 
was  a  fine  powerful  man  who  knew  the  route  thoroughly; 
he  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  late  fight,  but  he  had 
received  a  slight  scratch  upon  the  arm  from  an  arrow  as  it 
had  grazed  his  skin  during  its  flight ;  he  had  simply  bound 
a  piece  of  plantain-leaf  around  the  scratch  to  prevent  the 
flies  from  troubling  him.  After  an  hour's  quick  walking 
they  left  the  forest  that  bordered  the  river,  and  entered 
upon  a  boundless  plain  of  sand  and  pebbles,  devoid  of  all 
vegetation  except  a  few  stunted  mimosas,  and  scattered  tufts 
of  a  withered  wiry-looking  grass. 

Although  this  portion  of  the  country  was  a  frightful 
desert  during  the  dry  season,  it  abounded  with  grass  and 
water  during  the  rains ;  but  when  the  drought  arrived,  there 
was  a  general  disappearance  of  all  herbage,  as  it  became  so 


UP  BY   THE  SEA.  371 

the  fine  grass  broke  into  minute  pieces, 
and  was  carried  away  by  the  wind,  leaving  bare  the  hot  and 
barren  soil  that  did  not  appear  capable  of  producing  vege 
tation.  For  a  distance  of  about  a  hundred  and  twenty 
miles  there  was  neither  well  nor  stream :  thus,  as  no  drop 
of  water  could  be  procured  during  this  dry  season,  it  was 
necessary  to  force  a  march  of  about  forty  miles  per  day  to 
accomplish  the  journey  in  three  days.  Ned  did  not  fear 
any  distance  provided  the  supply  of  water  was  assured,  but 
any  accident  to  the  water-skins  would  terminate  in  the  de 
struction  of  the  entire  party. 

They  now  pushed  forward  over  the  barren  surface  of 
the  desert ;  their  ammunition  had  been  reduced  by  the  late 
fight  to  ten  rounds  of  cartridge  each,  therefore  they  had 
not  much  to  carry  beside  their  guns,  as  they  had  fastened 
their  knapsacks  upon  the  ox,  which,  having  drunk  water  be 
fore  starting,  would  be  able  to  travel  for  two  days,  or  about 
eighty  miles. 


372  CAXT   UP  BY   THE 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ni^HE  moon  rose,  and  the  night  air  was  cool  and  delicious. 
•*•  It  was  past  midnight,  and  the  party  travelled  rapidly 
along  the  even  surface,  unimpeded  by  the  tangled  vegeta 
tion  that  had  retarded  them  in  some  portions  of  their  jour 
ney.  There  was  no  wind,  and  not  a  cloud  upon  the  sky, 
in  which  the  stars  shone  with  extraordinary  brightness,  al 
though  those  near  the  moon  were  nearly  eclipsed  by  her  ex 
treme  light.  There  was  a  silvery  glow  upon  the  wild  desert 
that  gave  an  indescribable  beauty  to  the  scene :  the  rocks 
that  rose  abruptly  from  the  sandy  plain  appeared  to  assume 
the  forms  of  monsters,  as  in  the  indistinct  haze  of  distance 
Ned  sometimes  fancied  that  they  moved;  but  in  reality 
there  was  no  life  within  the  parched  and  dreary  desert — all 
was  solitude,  sand-rocks,  and  rounded  pebbles.  The  ox, 
laden  sparingly  with  the  knapsacks  and  water-skins,  march 
ed  well ;  the  tinkle  of  an  iron  bell  suspended  from  its  neck 
was  the  only  sound  that  disturbed  the  silence  of  the  spot, 
while  the  tall,  powerful  figures  of  Ned  and  Tim,  following 
the  guide,  seemed  to  glide  like  spectres  along  the  sandy 
waste,  upon  which  their  footsteps  left  no  sound. 

The  night  passed  away,  and  the  moon  grew  pale  as  the 
first  streaks  of  dawn  appeared  in  the  east.  Quickly  the 
stars  disappeared,  and  the  planet  Venus,  lately  so  brilliant, 
faintly  glimmered  as  the  last  of  the  bright  host,  and  then 
vanished  from  view  as  the  gorgeous  orb  of  gold  rose  sud 
denly  from  the  horizon  of  desert,  and  glowed  all  mighty 
upon  the  sterile  scene.  It  was  the  horror  of  sunrise.  The 


UP  BY   THE   tit: A.  3/3 

pitiless  destroyer  rose  vigorous  in  the  sky,  rejoicing  in  his 
power.  The  air,  lately  so  cool,  now  quivered  with  insup 
portable  heat ;  the  sand  of  the  desert  scorched  the  feet ;  the 
poisonous  breath  of  the  Simoom,  that  destroying  wind  that 
seems  to  own  a  furnace  as  its  birthplace  blew  upon  them ; 
still  on  they  journeyed  rapidly,  as  there  was  no  shade  in 
which  to  halt. 

For  fourteen  hours  they  had  marched  without  a  rest,  as 
it  was  necessary  to  push  on  with  the  greatest  rapidity  at 
the  early  part  of  the  journey,  that  the  ox  might  carry  the 
water  and  knapsacks  as  far  as  possible  before  it  should  be 
come  exhausted  from  thirst,  when  it  would  be  necessary  to 
kill  it.  All  were  fatigued  with  intense  heat,  and  the  guide 
suffered  from  the  slight  scratch  upon  his  arm,  which  had 
swollen,  and  was  extremely  painful. 

For  some  time  they  had  seen  a  lofty  rocky  mountain  in 
the  distance  among  a  chain  of  lower  hills  ;  they  determined 
to  push  on  for  the  higher  ground,  in  which  they  might  dis 
cover  some  rock  that  would  shelter  them  from  the  burning 
sun.  For  nearly  four  hours  they  marched,  until  they  at 
length  reached  an  overhanging  rock  in  a  rugged  pass 
through  which  the  dry  bed  of  a  broad  torrent  formed  a 
stony  road.  Here,  tired  and  thirsty,  the  party  rested.  Tim 
cut  some  brittle  straw  that  was  all  that  remained  of  some 
wiry  herbage  in  the  bed  of  the  exhausted  stream,  and  this 
he  gave  to  the  famished  ox,  that  was  too  thirsty  to  eat ; 
after  vainly  endeavoring  to  swallow  a  few  mouthfuls,  it  re 
fused  the  food.  Tim  now  opened  a  water-skin,  and  moist 
ened  the  straw  by  sprinkling  it  with  a  few  handfuls  of  the 
precious  fluid ;  the  ox  then  ate  it  greedily. 

The  whole  party  lay  down  and  slept.  They  woke  at 
about  3  P.M.,  and  immediately  prepared  to  start ;  but  all 
were  foot-sore,  as  they  had  marched  about  forty-eight  miles. 
The  guide's  arm  was  dreadfully  swollen  and  painful,  and  the 


374  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

ox  was  suffering  from  extreme  thirst.  Ned  commenced 
loading  the  tired  animal.  With  Tim's  assistance  he  strap 
ped  on  the  knapsacks,  and  then  he  went  to  the  spot  where 
they  had  laid  the  water-skins  in  the  shade.  Horror  of  hor 
rors  !  they  were  empty  ! 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  the  shock  that  this 
terrible  sight  produced  upon  the  whole  party.  The  skins 
were  literally  torn  to  pieces  by  the  horns  of  the  ox !  The 
thirsty  animal  had  seen  Tim  sprinkle  water  from  the  skins 
upon  the  dry  straw;  during  their  sleep  it  had  risen,  and, 
discovering  the  water,  it  had  attempted  to  drink  by  tearing 
open  the  leather  sacks  with  its  horns.  Every  drop  had  im 
mediately  disappeared  in  the  sand.  Not  even  the  ox  had 
procured  a  mouthful ;  it  could  only  lick  the  damp  sand  and 
the  empty  water-skins. 

Both  Ned  and  Tim  had  a  small  supply  in  the  skins  which 
they  carried  on  their  backs ;  the  guide  had  none,  as  he  had 
depended  upon  those  carried  by  the  ox.  They  had  at  least 
seventy  miles  of  desert  before  them. 

Ned  and  Tim  looked  at  each  other,  but  neither  dared  to 
utter  a  word ;  the  future  appeared  certain,  and  too  horrible 
to  think  of.  They  agreed  to  put  the  small  quantity  of 
water  that  remained  into  Ned's  water-skin,  as  that  of  Tim 
leaked  slightly,  and  the  evaporation  from  one  skin  would  be 
less  than  from  two. 

The  guide  was  in  dreadful  pain,  but,  as  no  time  could  be 
lost,  they  started,  and  it  was  agreed  that  they  must  push 
on  for  their  very  existence,  and  march  the  seventy  miles 
without  a  halt;  this  Ned  hoped  to  accomplish  in  about 
twenty-four  hours,  but,  in  his  own  mind,  he  did  not  feel 
certain  of  the  distance,  as  the  native  accounts  could  never 
be  depended  upon. 

The  guide  appeared  stupefied  with  pain,  but  he  pointed 
with  his  lance  in  the  direction  that  they  were  to  take,  and 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  375 

he  declared  that  they  would  arrive  at  a  river  upon  which 
was  a  village  and  trading-depot  of  Arabs  from  Zanzibar ; 
but  that  it  was  two  days'  fair  marching  distant.  Ned  took 
the  bearing  with  his  compass,  and  with  heavy  hearts  they 
pushed  on.  For  about  five  miles  they  followed  the  steep 
and  winding  water-course  until  they  arrived  at  the  summit 
of  the  mountain  range,  from  which  they  had  a  distant  view, 
and  Ned  hoped  to  have  discovered  some  point  that  would 
have  been  the  limit  of  their  journey.  The  guide  pointed 
to  a  far-distant  cone  which  could  faintly  be  distinguished 
on  the  horizon ;  that  was  the  mountain  beneath  which  the 
village  was  situated.  Ned  felt  certain  that  it  was  at  least 
sixty-five  miles  distant.  He  was  already  thirsty,  but  he 
dared  not  drink.  For  some  minutes  they  had  sat  upon  a 
rock  to  observe  the  country ;  they  now  would  have  started, 
but  the  guide  could  not  rise  from  the  ground ;  his  arm  was 
swollen  to  the  size  of  a  man's  thigh,  and  he  complained  of 
giddiness  and  total  paralysis  of  the  lower  limbs. 

"  The  arrow  was  poisoned,"  he  faintly  uttered ;  "  I  must 
die.  I  thirst ;  give  me  water !" 

"  Don't  give  de  water,  Massa  Ned,"  said  Tim ;  "  de  pison 
kill  him  quick.  What  for  give  de  water?  Water  or  no 
water,  de  pison  kill  him.  Save  de  water,  for  God's  sake, 
Massa  Ned,  or  we  all  die !" 

It  was  a  painful  trial,  but  Ned  felt  that  Tim's  advice  was 
just ;  the  unfortunate  guide  was  doomed,  as  the  poison  of 
the  arrow  had  become  thoroughly  absorbed  into  the  sys 
tem.  He  was  already  delirious,  and,  raging  with  a  burning 
thirst,  he  raved  for  water.  His  sufferings  were  pitiable, 
and  Ned  felt  half  inclined  to  share  the  last  small  portion 
with  him,  when  the  guide  suddenly  seized  his  lance  that  lay 
by  his  side  and  drove  it  deep  into  the  throat  of  the  ox  that 
was  standing  by  him.  As  the  animal  fell  to  the  blow, 
pierced  to  the  heart,  the  dying  guide  fell  upon  it,  and  glue- 


376  VAST    UP  BY   THE  UEA. 

ing  his  parched  lips  to  the  wound  from  which  the  blood 
spouted,  he  drank  madly  his  last  draught. 

Although  each  moment  was  precious,  as  delay  added  to 
their  thirst,  Ned  could  not  leave  the  guide  alone  to  die 
upon  the  desert.  For  about  three  hours  he  remained  to  wit 
ness  the  agonies  of  the  miserable  man,  who,  as  the  poison 
wreaked  its  fatal  work,  swelled  in  all  his  limbs,  and  in  his 
body  until  he  appeared  to  be  inflated.  At  last  the  throat 
swelled  also  to  such  an  extent  that,  after  a  few  convulsive 
struggles  for  breath,  he  stretched  himself  out  and  lay  upon 
the  burning  sand  a  corpse. 

Both  Ned  and  Tim  were  horror-struck ;  they  were  them 
selves  in  the  agony  of  thirst,  but  no  more  than  about  a 
quart  of  water  remained  ;  it  had  evaporated  from  the  near 
ly  empty  water-skin.  They  pushed  on  down  the  mountain 
side  and  reached  the  level  ground. 

The  sun  had  sunk.  Once  more  the  air  was  cool;  and 
although  thirsty  and  fatigued,  they  freshened  for  their 
work  and  determined  to  accomplish  the  night's  long  march 
at  as  great  speed  as  possible.  They  pushed  on  and  marched 
until  sunrise  at  the  rate  of  four  miles  an  hour,  without 
drinking.  The  moon  had  been  their  friend,  but  once  more 
she  became  pale,  and  the  dreadful  enemy  again  appeared — 
the  sun  ! 

As  the  -sun  rose  upon  the  two  unfortunate  young  men, 
it  shone  upon  tired  and  haggard-looking  creatures  that  had 
scarcely  signs  of  youth.  Their  cheeks  were  livid  and  sunk 
en,  their  eyes  bloodshot,  and  their  lips  swollen,  while  they 
still  marched  forward  with  an  expression  of  fearful  distress 
and  desperation. 

They  had  walked  about  forty-eight  miles  from  the  spot 
where  they  had  left  the  guide.  The  blue  conical  mountain 
appeared  to  be  within  fifteen  miles  of  them;  once  at  the 
foot,  they  would  find  water,  as  the  river  flowed  at  its  base. 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  377 

The  sun  rose  hot  as  fire,  and  again  the  dreadful  Simoom 
blew,  and  they  felt  faint  at  the  terrible  heat.  They  both 
reeled  with  fatigue  and  thirst.  Ned  could  support  the  lat 
ter  no  longer.  During  the  cool  night  the  water  had  not 
evaporated,  but  he  knew  that  the  Simoon  would  dry  up 
their  scanty  store  within  an  hour. 

"  Drink,  Tim  !"  said  Ned ;  "  we  will  each  share  the  last 
drop,  and,  please  God,  we  may  then  hold  out  till  the  end, 
but  we  must  not  halt,  or  we  are  lost.  Drink,  my  dear  Tim, 
a  full  half,  and  leave  the  rest  for  me !" 

Tim  was  fearfully  distressed  from  thirst,  and  he  clutched 
the  water-skin  from  Ned's  hands.  For  an  instant  he  hes 
itated,  as  he  gazed  intently  at  his  loved  master,  who  was  in 
a  lamentable  state  of  exhaustion  ;  he  then  eagerly  pressed 
the  mouth  of  the  water-skin  to  his  lips  and  appeared  to 
drink. 

"  Drink  more,  you  have  not  had  your  share ;  and  I  will 
then  finish  it,"  said  Ned. 

Again  Tim  appeared  to  drink,  after  which  he  handed  the 
water-skin  to  Ned,  who  ravenously  finished  it,  devoutly  ex 
claiming,  "  Thank  God !"  as  the  last  drop  gurgled  down  his 
throat. 

"  Tank  God,  Massa  Ned,"  repeated  Tim,  as  he  watched 
Ned's  refreshed  countenance  with  a  mingled  expression  of 
intense  affection  and  agony. 

Throwing  the  empty  water-skin  upon  his  shoulder,  Ned 
now  led  the  way,  followed  by  Tim.  They  could  no  longer 
walk  fast ;  their  feet  were  terribly  swollen,  and  although 
they  had  thrown  away  their  knapsacks,  and  Ned  had  re 
served  nothing  but  his  compass  and  chart,  they  could  bare 
ly  march  at  the  rate  of  three  miles  an  hour.  The  sun  rose 
higher,  and  the  heat  increased.  They  walked  slower  and 
slower  until  they  almost  crawled. 

Tim  lagged  many  yards  behind ;  several  times  Ned  halt- 


378  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

ed  and  waited  for  him.  As  he  came  up  he  reeled  from 
side  to  side,  and  his  tongue  was  hanging  from  his  mouth 
parched  and  furred  like  a  hare-skin.  Once  more  he  lagged 
more  than  a  hundred  yards  behind.  Again  Ned  waited; 
he  was  himself  also  exhausted  from  a  frightful  thirst  and 
prostration;  he  could  scarcely  feel  the  ground  with  his 
feet. 

At  length  Tim  staggered  slowly  up,  and  stopping  sud 
denly,  he  clasped  his  head  with  both  his  hands,  and  reeling 
backward,  he  fell  heavily  upon  the  ground.  Ned  endeav 
ored  to  raise  him. 

"  Tim !  my  dear  Tim,  for  God's  sake  don't  give  in !" 
cried  Ned ;  "  I  am  nearly  done  myself ;  but  if  we  can  only 
march  a  few  hours  more  we  may  yet  be  saved  from  this 
horrible  death." 

Tim  fainted,  and  lay  for  some  minutes  insensible.  Ned 
thought  he  was  dead.  At  length  he  recovered  conscious 
ness,  but  he  could  hardly  articulate,  as  his  tongue  was  as 
dry  as  leather.  "  Go  on,  Massa  Ned  !"  he  said ;  "  leave 
Tim  to  die.  I  can't  move  again.  I  going  to  die,  Massa 
Ned." 

Tim's  features  were  drawn  and  contracted,  and  he 
breathed  with  difficulty.  Ned  felt  a  giddiness  overcoming 
him,  and  he  feared  that  he  should  faint  as  the  blood  rushed 
to  his  head  as  he  leaned  over  the  prostrate  Tim  and  en 
deavored  to  support  his  head. 

"  Pray  God  forgive  Tim,  Massa  Ned ;  go  on,  go  on ! 
Leave  Tim  to  die." 

"  I'll  never  leave  you,  Tim ;  my  true,  my  faithful  friend," 
said  Ned,  in  an  agony  of  despair,  as  he  saw  the  unmistaka 
ble  signs  of  death  stealing  across  Tim's  face.  "  We  11  die 
together,  if  die  we  must.  Oh  for  one  draught  of  water  !" 
cried  Ned ;  "  one  draught  to  save  my  poor  Tim's  life  !" 

A  faint  smile  crossed  Tim's  haggard  face  as  he  heard 


Jill 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  381 

these  words,  and,  looking  at  Ned,  he  said  painfully,  "  Pray 
God  forgive  me,  Massa  Ned  ;  I  told  one  lie :  I  told  one  lie." 

"  What  lie,  Tim  ?"  said  Ned ;  "  you  have  never  told  me 
a  lie." 

"  Yes,  Massa  Ned ;  p'raps  God  forgive  me  if  you  ask 
Him.  I  told  one  lie  about  de  water,  and  now  I  die.  I  told 
Massa  Ned  I  drink  my  half — dat  one  lie.  I  not  touch  one 
drop ;  I  leave  it  for  my  dear  Massa  Ned.  Dat  save  him 
p'raps,  if  go  on  quick  and  leave  Tim  to  die.  God  bless  you, 
my  dear  Massa  Ned !  Tim  got  no  frens,  only  one  poor 
nigger ;  nobody  cry  for  Tim.  Let  him  die  !  Go  on,  my 
dear  Massa  Ned !  Go  home ;  see  fader  and  moder ;  de 
Miss  Edit !  see  all— all— all !" 

Tim  could  speak  no  more.  Ned  wrung  his  hands  in  an 
agony  of  despair.  Now,  for  the  first  time,  he  knew  that 
heroic  act  of  devotion  in  his  brave  and  all-suffering  follower. 
Although  dying  of  thirst,  he  would  not  drink  his  share  of 
the  scanty  pittance ;  but  he  had  practiced  the  too  generous 
deception  to  save  his  master's  life. 

"  Oh,  Tim,  dear  friend !  too  good,  too  generous !  how 
shall  I  forgive  myself  for  this  ?"  cried  Ned,  "  that  you 
should  die  that  I  might  live  !  Rather  let  us  both  die  as  we 
have  lived,  together,  and  trust  to  God  to  bless  us  both  here 
after  !" 

At  these  words  Tim  convulsively  raised  himself  upon  his 
elbows,  and  looking  up  to  the  burning  sun  with  fixed  eye 
balls  that  never  contracted  before  the  blazing  light,  he  laugh 
ed  wildly  in  delirium.  For  some  minutes  he  uttered  this 
frightful  mirth,  and  then  a  change  came  over  his  face.  Still 
looking  fixedly  at  the  sky,  his  features  became  placid  and 
assumed  an  expression  of  intense  happiness  and  peace. 
Smiling  as  though  tasting  the  joy  that  the  next  world  alone 
could  give,  he  said,  "  My  God !  my  God !  I  see  de  water- 
springs  !  tank  God  Almighty  !"  Tim  fell  gently  back  upon 


382  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA, 

the  ground ;  his  soul  was  at  the  water-springs ;  and  Ned 
wept  over  the  body  of  his  beloved  friend. 

A  giddiness  seized  Ned's  brain ;  his  tongue  hung  from 
his  mouth,  and  he  fell  insensible  by  Tim's  side.  Had  he 
not  drunk  that  one  long  draught  that  Tim's  devotion  offer 
ed,  he  would  have  been  the  first  victim  to  a  death  by  thirst. 

There  was  a  rumbling  sound  far  distant  in  the  air  when 
Tim's  last  words  spoke  of  the  water-springs.  Again  it 
sounded  louder  and  nearer  than  before,  and  from  the  south 
ern  horizon  rose  a  cloud,  like  that  of  Elijah,  no  bigger  than 
a  man's  hand.  Again  the  deep  muttering  sound  vibrated 
through  the  desert  as  distant  thunder  spoke  to  ears  that 
could  not  hear.  And  now  from  every  point  of  the  horizon 
clouds  arose,  at  first  snow-white,  but  rapidly  increasing  in 
size  and  darkening  in  color,  until  they  became  an  inky 
black,  and  the  fierce  sun  himself  was  veiled.  Within  an 
hour  from  the  time  of  poor  Tim's  last  gasp,  as  though  his 
spirit  had  petitioned  the  Great  Mover  of  the  water-springs, 
not  one  speck  of  blue  sky  could  be  discerned,  but  pitch- 
black  clouds  formed  a  thick  canopy  above  the  earth. 

The  lightning  played  incessantly ;  the  thunder  roared  and 
cracked  enough  to  waken  up  the  dead  ;  and  the  rain — that 
heaven-sent  torrent — poured  like  a  water-spout  upon  the 
famished  earth,  and  almost  flooded  the  lately-withered  des 
ert.  Oh !  had  that  rain  descended  one  hour  sooner  ! — but 
no !  it  would  have  condemned  to  longer  life  on  earth  one 
who  was  now  in  heaven. 

For  more  than  two  hours  the  rain  poured  in  an  uninter 
rupted  deluge.  Cascades  of  clear  water  fell  rushing  from 
the  lately  torrid  rocks :  and  deep  water-courses,  filled  with 
a  muddy  fluid,  tore  their  wild  course  along  the  sandy  des 
ert  :  the  whole  of  the  level  ground  was  ankle -deep  in  water. 
In  this  lay  the  bodies  of  Ned  and  Tim,  side  by  side.  Sud 
denly,  as  though  awakened  from  a  deep  sleep,  Ned  sat  up 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  383 

and  stared  wildly  round  him.  The  rain  still  poured,  and 
the  thunder  burst  heavily  at  intervals. 

Rubbing  his  eyes,  he  exclaimed,  "  It  is  a  dream  !  where 
am  I  ?  I  dreamed  that  Tim  had  died  of  thirst  in  the  des 
ert.  Ha  !  here  he  is.  Wake  up,  Tim,  or  we  shall  be  drown 
ed  !v  saying  which,  Ned,  half  delirious  from  over-exhaus 
tion  and  thirst,  placed  his  lips  to  the  flood  that  covered 
the  ground  and  drank  deeply.  Taking  a  deep  breath  as  he 
slaked  his  thirst,  he  now  turned  toward  his  silent  compan 
ion,  and,  taking  one  arm,  he  endeavored  to  arouse  him. 
He  dropped  the  arm  as  the  fatal  truth  flashed  upon  him — 
the  body  was  cold  and  stiffened  ! 

Ned  could  find  no  tears  to  relieve  his  feelings ;  but  he 
knelt  by  the  side  of  all  that  remained  of  his  faithful  friend 
and  follower  and  gazed  upon  his  swollen  features  in  intense 
affliction.  The  dreamy  delirium  passed  away,  and  he  re 
membered  all.  He  was  in  the  desert  alone,  and  he  had  lost 
all  that  had  cheered  his  many  years  of  captivity,  together 
with  every  joy  and  sorrow.  Tim  was  dead  ! 

He  heard  a  sudden  noise — a  rushing  sound  in  the  air — 
and,  looking  up,  he  perceived  a  huge  vulture  descending 
from  on  high,  with  closed  wings,  with  the  noise  of  a  rocket, 
in  its  eagerness  to  be  a  sexton  for  the  dead.  Many  of  these 
birds  were  circling  in  the  air  above  the  spot,  while  several 
were  already  perched  upon  the  neighboring  rocks  waiting 
for  their  opportunity.  A  thrill  of  -horror  ran  through  Ned's 
veins.  There  was  a  deep  crevice  in  a  plateau  of  solid  rock 
a  few  yards  distant.  Thither,  as  a  labor  of  love,  he  carried, 
with  much  difficulty,  the  rigid  body,  and  gently  lowered  it 
within  the  narrow  vault.  He  then  fetched  rocks  as  large 
as  he  could  lift ;  these  he  placed  across  the  crevice  until  he 
had  effectually  protected  it  with  a  pile  of  heavy  fragments 
that  would  defy  the  attacks  of  vultures  or  wild  animals. 

Ned  drank  once  more,  and  half  filled  his  water-skin  from 


384  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

a  clear  stream  that  spouted  from  a  rock,  and,  slinging  it 
upon  his  shoulder,  he  took  Tim's  gun  and  ammunition  in 
addition  to  his  own.  Thus  loaded,  he  took  a  last  farewell 
of  the  fatal  spot,  and  in  a  few  words,  as  he  stood  by  the 
grave,  he  offered  up  a  heartfelt  prayer  for  the  dead,  and  for 
guidance  on  his  lonely  way. 

Strengthened  by  the  cool  rain,  and  rendered  callous  to 
fatigue  by  sorrow,  he  wandered  on  direct  for  the  high  blue 
cone  that  had  been  pointed  out  as  a  landmark  by  the  guide. 
This  appeared  to  be  nearer  than  before,  as  the  rain  had  ren 
dered  the  atmosphere  doubly  clear,  but  it  was  in  reality 
about  fourteen  miles  distant.  Ned  plodded  on. 

It  was  nearly  sunset  when  he  reached  a  grove  of  tall 
palm-trees  that  grew  in  a  long  line  at  the  base  of  the  mount 
ain,  and  extended  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Passing 
through  these  for  about  two  hundred  yards,  he  perceived  a 
considerable  village  upon  a  high  rocky  ridge,  which  looked 
down  upon  a  roaring  torrent  now  swollen  by  the  rain. 
Without  caring  for  his  reception,  Ned  slowly  ascended  the 
rocky  path  and  entered  the  village.  To  his  astonishment 
he  was  met  by  a  number  of  Arabs,  instead  of  the  natives  to 
whom  he  had  been  accustomed.  These  people  were  en 
gaged  in  storing  elephants'  tusks  within  a  large  shed  that 
was  constructed  after  a  different  fashion  to  the  huts  of  the 
natives.  Upon  seeing  Ned,  they  gathered  around  him ;  and 
he,  tired,  hungry,  and  dispirited,  threw  his  two  guns  upon 
the  ground,  and  then  lay  down  exhausted  at  full  length. 

For  some  time  Ned  lay  half  asleep,  but  at  length,  hav 
ing  recovered  sufficiently  to  speak,  he  endeavored  to  explain 
his  situation.  Although  only  a  small  portion  of  his  narra 
tive  was  understood,  it  was  sufficient  to-  arouse  the  sym 
pathy  of  his  hearers,  who  declared  that  Ned  had  brought 
good  luck  to  the  country,  as  the  rain  had  arrived  with  him. 

The  Arabs  were  ivory  and   slave  traders  belonging  to 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  385 

Zanzibar.  Many  of  their  slaves  had  been  purchased  from 
the  country  in  which  Ned  had  so  long  been  a  captive ;  thus, 
as  he  spoke  their  language,  it  was  not  difficult  to  procure 
an  interpreter,  and  he  shortly  discovered  several  people  who 
had  served  the  Arabs  for  some  years,  and  therefore  had  a 
knowledge  of  Arabic. 

There  was  no  further  difficulty  in  describing  the  adven 
ture.  Ned,  having  arrived  among  them  with  the  first  storm 
of  rain  that  had  fallen  for  nearly  twelve  months,  was  re 
garded  by  the  natives  with  a  superstitious  reverence  that 
was  also  shared  by  the  Arabs ;  the  latter  agreed  that  he 
should  join  their  party  and  accompany  them  to  Zanzibar 
on  their  return. 

Some  months  passed  away  in  the  Arab  camp,  during 
which  their  parties  made  long  excursions  in  the  interior, 
and  returned  laden  with  ivory,  together  with  many  slaves. 
At  length  the  long-wished-for  period  arrived,  and  Ned,  who 
had  sadly  missed  and  mourned  for  his  faithful  companion 
Tim,  hailed  the  day  of  departure  with  joy  as  the  Arabs  beat 
their  drum  and  assembled  a  body  of  five  hundred  porters 
to  transport  the  tusks  to  Zanzibar.  Long  strings  of  slaves 
of  both  sexes  accompanied  the  march ;  many  were  fastened 
by  ropes  from  neck  to  neck,  while  others  were  fettered  by 
the  forked  stick  similar  to  that  in  which  Ned  had  been  se 
cured  when  first  captured. 

In  six  weeks'  march  they  reached  Zanzibar  without  any 
incident  worthy  of  notice,  and  having  delivered  the  ivory, 
the  captain  of  the  party  introduced  Ned  to  his  employer, 
who  was  a  wealthy  Parsee  merchant  from  Bombay.  This 
man  not  only  received  him  kindly,  but  furnished  him  with 
clothes  and  money,  and  promised  to  send  him  to  Egypt  on 
board  one  of  his  own  vessels  that  would  shortly  proceed  to 
Cosseir,  on  the  Red  Sea.  Ned  presented  the  captain  of  the 
trading-party  with  his  two  guns  as  a  return  for  the  kindness 

R 


386  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

he  had  received,  and,  when  the  day  of  departure  arrived, 
he  warmly  thanked  the  Parsee  merchant  for  his  hospitality, 
and  sailed  on  board  a  large  Arab  dow  loaded  with  ivory 
and  slaves  for  Egypt. 

Once  more  Ned's  heart  bounded  with  joy  as  he  felt  him 
self  again  upon  the  sea,  and  steering  toward  home. 

The  wind  was  favorable  throughout  the  voyage,  and 
without  an  accident  of  any  kind  they  reached  Cosseir. 
There  they  disembarked,  and  the  cargo  was  transported  on 
camels,  while  the  slaves  marched  on  foot  across  the  desert 
to  the  Nile.  Ned  was  provided  with  a  camel,  as  the  Bom 
bay  merchant  had  ordered  that  he  should  be  well  cared  for, 
and  be  delivered  to  his  agent  at  Alexandria. 

Upon  arrival  at  the  Nile  the  slaves  were  divided  among 
several  large-decked  vessels,  upon  one  of  which  Ned  was 
furnished  with  a  cabin,  and  they  sailed  down  the  stream. 
They  were  detained  at  several  large  towns  on  the  banks  of 
the  river,  and  especially  at  Cairo,  at  which  place  many  of 
the  slaves  were  disposed  of  at  good  prices ;  and,  after  a 
voyage  of  three  weeks,  the  boats  arrived  at  Alexandria,  and 
Ned  for  the  first  time  looked  upon  the  blue  waters  of  the 
Mediterranean.  He  felt  almost  at  home ;  and  having  been 
kindly  received  by  the  agent  of  the  Parsee  merchant,  he  was 
provided  with  a  passage  on  board  an  English  vessel  that 
was  about  to  sail. 

The  sight  of  the  union-jack  flying  at  the  mast-head  that 
Ned  had  not  seen  for  many  years  filled  him  with  delight, 
and,  as  the  boat  took  him  alongside,  he  sprang  up  the  lad 
der  and  found  himself  on  the  clean  deck  of  a  fine  merchant- 
vessel  of  about  three  hundred  tons. »  The  captain  and  crew 
were  English,  and  Ned  once  more  could  speak  his  native 
tongue  and  associate  with  his  own  countrymen.  The  cap 
tain  was  a  fine  hearty  fellow,  who  took  a  fancy  to  Ned  at 
first  sight,  and  sympathized  warmly  with  the  history  of  his 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  387 

adventures,  which  quickly  made  the  round  of  the  ship,  and 
Ned  was  looked  upon  as  a  second  Robinson  Crusoe. 

After  a  voyage  of  six  weeks  the  vessel  passed  the  Lizard 
light  and  entered  the  Channel.  They  were  within  sight 
of  the  coast  on  the  following  day  with  a  light  but  favorable 
breeze,  when  they  met  a  large  fishing-smack,  which  they 
spoke,  being  anxious  to  obtain  the  earliest  news  from  En 
gland.  To  Ned's  delight  she  hailed  from  Falmouth,  which 
would  be  his  most  favorable  landing-place;  therefore  he 
took  leave  of  the  captain  and  crew  of  the  vessel,  with  whom 
he  had  shared  a  most  agreeable  voyage,  and,  going  on  board 
the  smack,  the  sails  filled,  and  the  two  ships  parted  on  their 
different  courses. 

On  the  following  day  they  sighted  Falmouth,  and  once 
more  Ned  set  his  foot  upon  the  soil  of  Old  England. 


388  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

1VTED  GREY  happened  to  arrive  at  Falmouth  a  few  days 
r^  after  Paul  had  been  committed  to  prison  by  the  mag 
istrates  on  the  original  warrant  for  his  apprehension ;  thus 
he  was  lying  in  jail  at  that  town  to  await  his  trial  at  the 
Sessions  at  the  very  time  that  Ned  unconsciously  hurried 
through  on  his  way  home. 

The  committal  of  Paul  to  prison  had  been  effected 
through  the  instrumentality  of  James  Stevens,  who  had  no 
sooner  got  rid  of  him  from  the  rectory  than  he  once  more 
renewed  his  visits  and  pressed  his  suit  with  Edith.  With 
consummate  hypocrisy  he  had  persuaded  her,  and  also  Polly 
Grey,  that  he  was  forced  to  commit  Paul  upon  the  warrant, 
but  that,  as  the  Sessions  were  drawing  near,  he  would 
shortly  be  tried  and  acquitted,  as  there  could  be  no  doubt 
of  his  innocence. 

Although  Edith  felt  no  love  for  Stevens,  she  had  learned 
not  to  dislike  him :  she  had  been  so  constantly  talked  to  by 
her  mother  and  impressed  with  the  idea  that  he  was  really 
a  worthy  object  for  her  affection,  that  she  regarded  him  as 
a  person  whom  it  was  not  impossible  that  she  might  some 
day  learn  to  love.  Nevertheless  she  lingered  fondly  upon 
the  recollections  of  the  past,  when  her  heart  had  first  known 
the  feelings  of  real  love.  It  was  by  a  pretended  sympathy 
for  her  early  affection  for  Ned  Grey  that  Stevens  had  suc 
ceeded  in  winning  her  regard;  and  well  aware  of  the  in 
fluence  thus  obtained,  he  appeared  to  delight  in  frequent  al 
lusions  to  the  time  when  Ned  and  he  served  together  on 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  389 

board  the  Sybille,  during  which  he  declared  that  he  had 
been  his  greatest  friend. 

It  was  the  morning  after  Ned's  arrival  at  Falmouth  that 
Stevens,  having  slept  at  the  rectory,  was  at  breakfast  with 
Mrs.  Jones,  Polly  Grey,  and  Edith.  A  fine  young  New 
foundland  dog  was  sitting  by  her  side  watching  her  face  in 
tently,  in  the  hope  that  some  morsel  would  fall  to  his  share. 
This  dog  had  been  given  to  her  by  Stevens  on  the  previous 
day. 

"  I  shall  call  him  Nero,"  said  Edith, "  in  memory  of  poor 
dear  old  Nero,  who,  you  say,  was  drowned  in  the  ship 
wreck." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Stevens,  with  a  hypocritical  sigh ;  "  on 
the  day  that  I  saw  poor  Ned  sink  when  the  Forte  was  lost. 
Poor  Ned,"  he  continued, "  I  would  have  given  the  world  to 
have  saved  him.  Had  I  only  had  a  boat-hook  instead  of  an 
oar,  I  think  I  could  have  caught  him  by  his  clothes.  I  shall 
never  forget  his  last  look  as  the  water  closed  over  him." 

Stevens  took  out  his  handkerchief  and  wiped  his  eyes. 
At  this  moment  the  servant  entered  with  the  letters. 

"  Ha !  a  letter  for  me !  I  am  so  glad.  I  am  so  glad,  for 
I  seldom  receive  one !"  said  Edith.  "  I  wonder  who  it's 
from,"  she  continued,  as  she  examined  the  seal  that  was 
simply  the  impression  of  a  shilling. 

"You  had  better  open  it,  my  dear,"  said  her  mother; 
"  that's  the  quickest  way  of  ascertaining  the  name  of  your 
correspondent." 

Edith  broke  the  seal  and  read  the  letter,  She  turned 
deadly  pale ;  then  a  deep  blush  flushed  across  her  face ;  it 
was  only  for  a  moment,  when  she  again  changed  to  the 
whiteness  of  marble. 

"  What's  the  matter,  my  child  ?"  exclaimed  her  mother. 
"Are  you  ill  ?  What  are  the  contents  of  that  mysterious 
letter  that  affect  you  so  deeply  ?" 


390  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

For  a  few  minutes  Edith  was  silent,  and  holding  the  let 
ter  in  her  hands,  which  rested  in  her  lap,  she  seemed  lost  in 
reflection,  and  her  lips  quivered  with  emotion.  Both  her 
mother  and  Polly  Grey  regarded  her  with  astonishment. 
At  length,  subduing  her  excitement,  and  entirely  command 
ing  her  feelings,  she  fixed  her  large  blue  eyes  upon  Stevens, 
who  sat  opposite,  and  appeared  to  search  him  to  the  very 
heart.  Her  beautiful  features  gradually  assumed  a  stern 
and  determined  expression  as  she  calmly  said,  "  Mother, 
shall  I  read  this  letter  aloud  ?" 

"  By  all  means,"  said  Mrs.  Jones ;  "  I'm  quite  curious  to 
know  the  contents  of  this  wonderful  epistle." 

Edith,  in  a  clear  voice  that  trembled  slightly,  read  the 
following  letter : 

"  Falmouth,  January  8. 

"Half  mad  with  joy,  and  yet  wilder  with  uncertainty,  I 
am  hurrying  to  the  spot  where  my  happiest  days  were 
spent :  where  last  I  parted  from  her  whom  I  then  called  my 
own  Edith.  God  grant  that  she  and  my  dear  parents  are 
yet  alive,  and  that  she  stih1  remembers  the  love  of  her  youth 
ful  days,  and  that  her  heart  is  as  unchanged  as  mine. 

"  My  story  is  short.  The  morning  after  I  left  you  I  was 
taken  by  a  press-gang,  together  with  Tim  and  Nero.  I  was 
carried  on  board  the  Sybille,  a  frigate  on  her  way  to  India. 
I  could  not  write.  On  board  I  met  Jem  Stevens,  God  for 
give  him.  In  India  we  fought  and  captured  the  Forte. 
We  were  both  sent  home  in  charge :  she  was  wrecked. 
Stevens  went  off  with  the  frigate's  cutter,  well-manned,  and 
hacked  at  my  hands  with  a  knife  when  I  swam  up  and  clung 
to  the  boat.  I  was  forced  to  let  go  and  swim  to  the  wreck. 
Tim  would  not  leave  me.  We  saved  ourselves  with  a  raft, 
together  with  Nero,  and  at  last  reached  the  coast  of  Africa, 
where  we  were  captives  among  the  savages  for  many  years. 
We  at  length  endeavored  to  escape.  Poor  Tim,  alas !  is 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  391 

dead.  Nero  is  also  dead ;  and  I  am,  thank  God,  alive  and 
well,  and  hurrying  on  horseback,  post-haste  night  and  day, 
to  see  if  my  Edith  is  still  my  own ;  if  not,  would  that  I  had 
died  with  my  devoted  Tim  and  left  my  bones  in  Africa. 

"  If  you  are  alive,  Edith,  dearest  remembrance  of  my 
boyhood,  I  shall  be  with  you  almost  as  soon  as  you  receive 
this  letter,  as  I  rush  to  meet  my  fate. 

"  Your  own  NED  GKEY." 

Edith  folded  the  letter  carefully  together  and  handed  it 
to  Polly  Grey ;  at  the  same  time  she  rose  from  her  seat, 
and,  with  extraordinary  calmness,  she  regarded  Stevens  fix 
edly.  "  Yes,"  she  said,  as  her  voice  trembled  and  became 
hoarse  with  suppressed  emotion,  "  his  own  Edith  until  death 
shall  part  us." 

"An  explanation,  if  you  please,  Mr.  Stevens,"  continued 
Edith,  as  she  gazed  contemptuously  at  the  miserable  guilty 
object  that  sat  before  her,  bowed  down  with  shame  and 
confusion. 

Stevens  rose  hurriedly,  and  saying,  "  I  will  explain  every 
thing,"  was  about  to  leave  the  room,  when  Edith,  who  was 
near  the  door,  quickly  turned  the  key,  which  she  took  from 
the  lock  and  retained  within  her  hand. 

"  Y<3u  will  have  the  kindness,  sir,  to  amuse  yourself  with 
the  newspaper  until  the  arrival  of  your  dear  friend,  Ned 
Grey,  whom  you  endeavored  to  save  from  drowning ;  he 
will  be  rejoiced  to  return  you  his  thanks,  and  to  express  his 
gratitude  in  person  ;  he  is  expected  every  instant." 

"  Edith,  for  God's  sake  let  me  depart,  and  I  will  shortly 
explain  all !"  exclaimed  the  terrified  Stevens. 

"You  do  not  leave  this  room,  sir,  until  Ned  Grey  ar 
rives,"  replied  Edith,  with  a  disdainful  calmness  and  deter 
mination  before  which  Stevens  quailed. 

"What  is  all  this?  what  is  all  this?"  cried  Mrs.  Jones. 


392  CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

"  Edith,  my  dear,  are  you  going  mad  ?"  continued  the  as 
tonished  mother ;  while  Polly,  having  read  the  letter,  now 
regarded  Stevens  with  an  expression  of  horror  as  though  he 
had  been  some  poisonous  reptile. 

At  this  moment  the  loud  clattering  of  a  horse's  hoofs 
was  heard  upon  the  frosty  road.  Mrs.  Jones  looked  from 
the  window ;  "  Dear  me !"  she  exclaimed,  "  the  horse  has 
run  away  with  somebody.  Stop  him !"  she  cried ;  but  as 
nobody  was  there  to  hear  her  commands,  the  rider  reined 
up  his  horse,  and  quickly  dismounting,  he  rang  the  bell. 

The  bell  continued  ringing  with  such  violence  that  the 
servant  ran  with  more  than  his  usual  alacrity  to  the  door. 

Although  Edith  had,  with  wonderful  self-possession,  as 
sumed  a  calm  demeanor,  she  was  in  reality  intensely  excited. 
The  suddenness  of  the  shock  that  would  have  prostrated 
most  of  her  sex  had  nerved  her  for  the  moment  of  trial,  and 
perceiving  at  a  glance  the  treachery  and  hypocrisy  of  Ste 
vens,  she  was  determined  that  the  explanation  should  be 
made  face  to  face  with  the  long-lost  ISTed.  At  the  same 
time  that,  insulted  by  Stevens's  base  deception,  she  re 
solved  upon  this  course,  Edith's  mind  was  in  a  tumult  of 
conflicting  feelings.  An  intense  disgust  for  Stevens  was 
mingled  with  an  overpowering  ecstasy  of  delight  at  the 
knowledge  that  Ned  not  only  had  returned,  but  that  his 
love  for  her  was  unaltered  by  years  of  absence.  For  the 
moment  she  felt  independent  of  the  whole  world,  and  she 
was  absorbed  by  a  feeling  of  intense  and  perfect  happiness 
that  almost  made  her  shudder  as  she  imagined  that  it  was 
too  bright  to  last. 

The  servant  attempted  to  enter  the  room,  and  Edith  un 
locked  the  door. 

Almost  as  soon  as  he  was  announced,  Ned  Grey,  who 
had  thrown  off  his  great-coat  in  the  hall,  entered. 

For  a  few  moments  he  stood  confused  as  he  looked  at 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  393 

the  various  persons  around  him.  Neither  Polly  nor  Mrs. 
Jones  were  much  changed,  but  he  stared  for  some  instants 
at  the  beautiful  girl,  who  in  her  turn  regarded  his  tall  and 
handsome  figure  with  an  expression  of  surprise,  mingled 
with  the  deepest  affection. 

Their  eyes  thus  met,  and  in  a  few  short  seconds,  without 
one  word  spoken,  they  explained  their  unchanged  love. 

"  My  Edith  !"  exclaimed  Ned  Grey.  "  Oh,  Ned  !  dear 
Ned  !"  cried  Edith,  as  they  both  instinctively  rushed  for 
ward  and  were  locked  in  each  other's  arms. 

After  a  few  moments  of  indescribable  happiness  the 
blushing  girl  released  herself  from  Ned's  embrace.  Polly 
Grey  was  also  hanging  round  his  neck  in  a  transport  of 
delight;  but  Edith  had  a  sterner  task  to  perform,  and 
drawing  herself  up  to  her  full  height,  with  an  air  of  haugh 
tiness  that  was  entirely  foreign  to  her  usual  character,  she 
said : 

"  Mr.  Stevens,  you  have  now  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
your  dear  friend,  Ned  Grey,  whom  you  so  generously  at 
tempted  to  save  from  drowning  in  the  wreck ;"  then  turn 
ing  to  Ned,  she  continued  :  "  Mr.  Stevens  has  honored  me 
by  a  proposal  of  marriage,  as  he  declared  that  he  saw  you 
drowned  after  he  had  vainly  endeavored  to  assist  you." 

For  some  moments  Ned  regarded  Stevens  with  an  ex 
pression  of  the  lowest  contempt.  For  one  instant  Stevens 
had  attempted  to  meet  his  glance,  but  he  quailed  before  it, 
and  turned  his  eyes  upon  Mrs.  Jones,  who  was  in  a  state  of 
utter  confusion. 

"  Liar  !    and  would  -  be   murderer  !"    said   Ned,  as  he 
grasped  the  unresisting  Stevens  by  the  collar  with  his  pow 
erful  right  hand  and  led  him  to  the  door,  "  leave  this  house, 
and  never  again  cross  the  threshold,  as  you  value  your  life  !" 
As  the  servant  slammed  the  front  door  upon  the  dis 
graced  Stevens,  the  wretch,  pale  and  trembling,  with  a  mixt- 
•  R  2 


394  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ure  of  rage  and  despair,  muttered,  as  he  walked  rapidly 
toward  the  stable  for  his  horse,  "  There  was  a  charge  of 
willful  murder,  and  a  warrant  for  Ned  Grey  as  well  as  for 
Paul." 

It  would  be  impossible  to  describe  the  happiness  of 
Edith  and  Polly  Grey.  Ned  had  completed  the  long  his 
tory  of  his  adventures,  during  which  Edith  had  shed  tears 
at  Tim's  devoted  martyrdom,  and  Mrs.  Jones  had  on  sev 
eral  occasions  exclaimed,  "  Well,  I  never  !"  when  he  had 
described  the  base  conduct  of  James  Stevens.  It  was  now 
Edith's  turn  to  relate  all  that  had  happened  since  Ned's  de 
parture,  and  for  the  first  time  he  learned  that  Paul  was  in 
custody,  and  that  a  warrant  had  also  been  issued  for  his 
own  apprehension  upon  the  suspicion  that  he  had  been  con 
cerned  in  the  burglary  and  murder  at  the  rectory.  Al 
though  such  a  charge  appeared  ridiculous,  Ned  did  not 
fail  to  perceive  that  the  sudden  disappearance  of  Paul,  Tim, 
and  himself  on  the  day  of  the  burglary  was  sufficient  to 
justify  the  suspicion,  combined  with  the  discovery  of  the 
two  hundred  guineas  at  Paul's  house,  together  with  the 
jewels  and  articles  of  contraband.  He  now  recalled  to 
mind  the  fact  of  the  two  strange  men  having  stealthily 
passed  through  the  church -yard  at  the  same  time  that 
Mother  Lee  had  appeared,  when  he  and  Edith  were  sitting 
at  dusk  by  the  grave-stone  of  the  unknown  lady,  and  he 
had  no  doubt  that  the  old  hag  was  in  some  way  connected 
with  the  robbery.  The  complexion  of  the  affair  caused 
him  some  uneasiness ;  for,  although  he  had  no  fear  of  the 
ultimate  result,  the  fact  of  so  horrible  a  suspicion  having 
fallen  upon  Paul  and  himself  was  sufficiently  embarrassing. 

Ned's  life  had  been  so  full  of  adventure  and  difficulty 
that  he  quickly  resolved  to  bear  patiently  with  this  dilemma. 
The  daily  prayer  of  many  years  past  had  been  granted  :  he 
was  once  more  at  home  with  his  Edith,  who  was  changed, 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  XtiA.  395 

only  in  appearance,  from  the  girl  he  had  left,  to  the  beauti 
ful  woman  whose  heart  had  always  been  his  own. 

When  the  first  shock  of  Stevens's  disgrace  had  passed, 
Mrs.  Jones  regarded  Ned  with  much  curiosity  and  admira 
tion.  "He  certainly  is  handsome — very  handsome ;  in  fact, 
extremely  handsome,"  she  said,  as  she  sat  alone  with  Edith, 
as  Polly  Grey  had  retired  with  Ned  to  have  a  chat  with 
her  boy  alone  for  half  an  hour.  "  You  see,  my  dear  child," 
continued  Mrs.  Jones,  "  that  the  ways  of  Providence  are 
wonderful,  and  sailors  are  especially  watched  over."  Here 
Mrs.  Jones  thought  of  Captain  Smart.  "  Sailors  are  the 
finest  class  of  the  human  race.  St.  Paul  was  a,  sailor ;  or  if 
he  wasn't,  he  ought  to  have  been ;  for  he  was  almost  always 
at  sea,  and  seemed  to  me  to  know  much  more  about  it  than 
the  other  people  on  board  the  ship  when  she  was  wrecked ; 
and  all  would  have  been  lost  if  it  had  not  been  for  his 
knowledge  of  the  profession  when  he  was  bitten  by  the  boa 
constrictor,  or  the  viper,  or  whatever  the  snake  was — which 
can't  possibly  be  known,  my  dear,  as  the  name  was  never 
written — very  likely  because  St.  Paul  had  no  British  Mu 
seum  to  refer  to.  However,  that  does  not  alter  the  fact 
that  Providence  watches  over  sailors :  thus  we  must  thank 
Heaven  for  Ned's  safe  return.  A  very  handsome  young 
man  he  is,  indeed  :  so  like  his  poor  mother,  as  I  remember 
her  beautiful  body  when  she  was  brought'  on  shore,  only 
she  had  no  whiskers  nor  mustaches  like  Ned.  I  think  he 
is  rather  young  to  have  such  fine  whiskers,"  continued  the 
voluble  and  discursive  Mrs.  Jones ;  "  only  I  have  heard  that 
in  hot  climates  the  hair  grows  at  a  much  earlier  age  than 
in  the  temperate  or  the  arctic  zones.  Ned  must  have  been 
born  in  a  hot  climate,  as  the  vessel  that  was  lost  was  an 
Indiaman,  therefore  that  may  account  in  some  measure  for 
his  very  early  whiskers.  I  think  he  is  now  about  nineteen ; 
is  he  not,  my  dear  ?" 


39G  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

"  Twenty-one,  mother,"  replied  Edith  ;  "  but  I  think  he 
looks  some  years  older." 

"Well,  my  dear,  it's  all  the  same,  and  there's  no  doubt 
that  he  is  a  gentleman  born,  for  his  appearance  is  most  no 
ble  ;  and,  in  fact,  he  might  be  a  king,  or  even  an  archbishop, 
for  I  never  saw  a  more  commanding  figure ;  but  as  there 
is  no  doubt  about  your  affection  for  each  other,  it  would  be 
a  comfort  to  know  whether  he  ever  had  a  father — that  is 
to  say,  of  course  he  must  have  had  one,  but  it's  of  no  use 
having  one  if  you  don't  know  who  he  is.  You  see,  my 
dear,  it  would  look  so  very  odd  in  the  papers  to  read  the 
announcement  of  your  marriage  '  to  Edward  Grey,  son  of 
blank .'  Very  odd,  and  not  altogether  proper." 

At  this  moment  Ned  re-entered  the  room,  and  Mrs. 
Jones,  with  much  consideration,  found  an  excuse  for  ab 
senting  herself,  and  left  him  alone  with  Edith. 

An  hour  of  intense  happiness  passed  as  though,  the  in, 
terval  had  been  but  a  few  minutes,  when  a  sudden  ring  was 
heard  at  the  door-bell,  and  shortly  after  the  door  opened 
and  several  constables  entered  the  room.  A  man  approach 
ed  Ned,  and  drawing  a  paper  from  his  pocket,  he  presented 
a  warrant  for  his  apprehension,  signed  by  James  Stevens, 
upon  the  original  charge  for  which  Paul  Grey  had  been 
committed. 

Never  had  Edith  known  the  terrible  feeling  of  hatred 
that  now  for  the  first  time  seized  upon  her.  Base  as  Ste 
vens  was,  she  had  never  expected  this  quick  revenge :  he 
had  dashed  the  cup  of  happiness  from  her  lips. 

Pressing  Edith  to  his  heart,  with  a  few  words  of  com 
fort,  as  the  Sessions  were  drawing  near,  when  he  was  cer 
tain  of  an  acquittal,  Ned  left  the  rectory  in  custody  of  the 
constables  to  be  lodged  in  Falmouth  jail. 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  397 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

news  of  Ned  Grey's  return  had  spread  throughout 
-•-  the  neighborhood,  and  his  almost  instantaneous  arrest 
had  excited  the  sympathy  of  all  the  female  portion  of  the 
population.  The  whole  county  was  interested  in  the  event, 
which  became  the  current  topic  of  the  day,  and  James 
Stevens,  of  Heron  Hall,  was  regarded  with  universal  detes 
tation  as  the  story  became  widely  known.  In  the  mean 
time,  full  of  revenge,  he  lost  no  opportunity  of  seeking  for 
evidence  that  might  lead  to  Ned's  conviction. 

It  was  about  a  fortnight  after  Ned's  arrest,  on  a  cold  and 
stormy  night,  that  a  ring  was  heard  at  the  back  door  of  the 
rectory,  and,  shortly  afterward,  a  servant  entered  the  room 
in  which  Edith  was  sitting,  with  a  message  that  a  poor  per 
son  from  Sandy  Cove  wished  to  speak  with  her  immediate 
ly.  A  woman  was  shown  into  the  room,  who,  wet  and  cold 
with  the  journey,  had  been  sent  by  a  dying  man  at  the 
Cove  to  request  the  immediate  attendance  of  Edith,  as  he 
had  a  most  important  communication  to  make  that  con 
cerned  her  particularly.  Regardless  of  the  late  hour  and 
the  stormy  weather,  Edith  ordered  the  carriage  without  de 
lay,  and,  accompanied  by  the  messenger  and  Polly  Grey, 
she  at  once  drove  to  Sandy  Cove,  about  five  miles  distant. 
Alighting  at  the  cliff,  they  descended  the  zigzag  path,  and 
shortly  arrived  at  the  door  of  a  hut  formed  of  an  inverted 
boat,  from  which  a  feeble  light  shone  through  a  pane  of 
glass  fixed  in  the  side.  The  messenger  opened  the  door, 
and  they  entered. 

Lying  upon  a  miserable  bed  was  the  emaciated  figure 


398  CAST  UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

of  a  man,  who  appeared  to  be  in  the  last  stage  of  his  ex 
istence.  One  of  the  neighbors  was  sitting  by  his  side,  who 
retired  when  Edith  appeared,  and  the  messenger,  having 
approached,  informed  him  in  a  gentle  voice  that  Edith  was 
present. 

"  Where  is  she  ?"  said  the  dying  man :  "  it's  very  dark, 
bring  her  nearer  to  me.  Yes  !"  he  continued,  as  she  drew 
near, "now  leave  me  with  her  alone,  as  I  have  much  to  say, 
and  little  strength  to  say  it." 

The  messenger  withdrew,  and  Edith,  with  some  hesita 
tion,  leaned  her  ear  close  to  the  mouth  of  the  exhausted  man. 

He  clasped  his  skinny  hands  together,  and  looking  ear 
nestly  to  her  face,  he  exclaimed,  "  Pardon,  pardon !  give  me 
pardon  for  my  sins  before  I  confess  the  whole  !" 

"  What  can  I  pardon,  my  good  man  ?"  said  Edith.  "  God 
alone  can  grant  forgiveness ;  but  tell  me,  if  it  will  relieve 
you,  what  weighs  so  heavily  upon  your  mind  ?" 

"  Murder !"  gasped  the  wretched  man ;  "  it  was  I  that 
murdered  your  father !" 

Startled  with  horror,  Edith  covered  her  eyes  with  her 
hand,  and  remained  speechless. 

"Yes,"  continued  the  man;  "I  will  tell  you  all,  for  T 
shall  not  see  another  day,  and  I  feel  that  hell  awaits  me  if  I 
die  without  your  pardon.  It  was  Mother  Lee  who  planned 
the  robbery,  but  I  never  intended  murder.  Jack  Cain 
and  I  were  always  pals,  and  drink  and  dice  led  us  to  ruin. 
Mother  Lee  found  out  that  the  parson  kept  large  sums 
of  money  in  the  house,  and  she  put  us  up  to  the  robbery. 
We  hadn't  had  a  wreck  for  a  long  time,  and  we  were  hard 
up  for  cash,  so  we  took  the  job.  I  saw  you  and  young  Ned 
Grey  sitting  in  the  church-yard  that  evening  as  we  went  to 
lie  in  wait.  It  was  a  Sunday  night,  and  we  broke  in  at  the 
kitchen  window.  We  got  the  cash,  and  had  packed  up  the 
plate,  when  we  heard  a  noise.  '  Don't  let  us  be  nabbed,' 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  399 

said  Cain.  Just  as  he  said  this,  the  parson  came  into  the 
room,  with  a  candle  in  one  hand  and  a  pistol  in  the  other. 
*  Shoot  him !'  said  Cain,  and  I  shot  the  poor  man  down,  and 
we  escaped  without  the  plate.  We  got  off  through  Mother 
Lee,  who  threw  suspicion  upon  Paul  and  Ned  Grey  to  serve 
them  a  bad  turn,  for  she  hated  them  to  death." 

"Wretched  man!"  said  Edith  bitterly;  "why  did  you 
not  confess  this  earlier  ?  Paul  and  Ned  are  now  in  prison 
on  this  false  charge.  Where  is  your  companion,  Cain  ?" 

"  He  was  hanged  two  years  ago  for  another  murder,  and 
left  his  poor  wife  to  die  of  starvation.  Since  that  time  I 
took  ill,  and  have  never  been  well  since.  My  lungs  are 
gone.  I  shall  never  see  another  sunrise.  I  feel  my  end 
is  close  at  hand.  But  I  have  still  more  to  say,"  said  the 
dying  man,  as  he  was  almost  suffocated  from  exhaustion. 

Having  rested  for  a  few  minutes,  he  recovered  sufficient 
ly  to  continue. 

"  I  confessed  all  this  two  weeks  ago  to  a  magistrate,"  he 
said;  "but  he's  a  bad  'un,  and  worse  than  I.  I  mean  Squire 
Stevens  of  the  Hall,"  continued  the  man.  "  I  told  .him  all, 
as  I  knew  that  I  must  die,  and  I  didn't  wish  innocent  blood 
to  be  shed  for  me.  I  knew  that  Paul  and  Ned  Grey  had 
been  arrested.  The  squire  hates  them  both,  and  he  gave 
me  five  golden  guineas  to  hold  my  tongue.  There  they 
are,  tied  in  the  corner  of  that  handkerchief  beneath  the  bed. 
I  had  them  behind  the  pillow,  but  I  couldn't  get  a  wink  of 
sleep  since  I  took  them,  so  I  threw  them  under  the  bed. 
Give  them  to  Paul,  or  to  the  poor.  Give  some  to  the  wom 
an  who  looks  after  me ;  but  beware  of  the  squire,  for  the 
devil  isn't  blacker  than  his  heart,  and  he'll  ruin  Paul  and 
Ned  if  he  can  do  it !" 

Polly  Grey  had  been  a  witness  to  this  important  confes 
sion. 

"  I'm  lighter  now,"  continued  the  sick  man.     "  Say  that 


400  VAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

you  forgive  me,  Miss  Edith,  for  I  can  not  die  without  shud 
dering  at  the  future ;  but  if  you  pardon  me,  perhaps — per 
haps  God  may  also ;  but  I  don't  know  how  to  ask  him.  I 
never  prayed  to  Him.  I  tried  the  other  night,  but  I 
couldn't  do  it.  Pray  for  me,  Miss  Edith ;  for  Heaven's 
sake,  pray !  pray !  pray  quickly,  for  I'm  sinking  down, 
down  through  the  ground  !" 

In  the  fearful  excitement  of  the  last  troubled  hour,  the 
man  who  had  never  prayed  sought  for  his  neglected  God. 

"May  God  forgive  you  as  I  do,  poor  miserable  man," 
said  Edith ;  "  but,"  she  continued,  "  there  is  much  to  be 
done  before  you  die.  Your  confession  is  worth  nothing 
unless  it  is  in  a  proper  form :  it  must  be  written  down." 

"  Go !"  said  Edith  to  Polly  Grey,  "  and  tell  the  coach 
man  to  drive  quickly  to  Captain  Smart.  Tell  him  to  bring 
paper  and  ink,  and  to  come  himself  without  losing  a  mo 
ment," 

Polly  ran  from  the  hut,  and  arrived  breathless  at  the 
summit  of  the  cliff.  The  rattle  of  the  horses'  hoofs  quick 
ly  replied  to  her  message. 

A  little  more  than  an  hour  had  passed,  and  Edith  looked 
anxiously  at  her  watch  as  the  man  appeared  to  be  fast  sink 
ing,  and  she  knew  the  importance  of  his  dying  deposition. 
At  last  hurried  footsteps  were  heard  without,  succeeded  by 
a  quick  and  decided  tap  upon  the  door. 

"  Come  in,"  said  Edith,  and  Joe  Smart  entered,  accom 
panied  by  one  of  the  coast-guard. 

In  a  few  words,  spoken  in  a  whisper,  Edith  had  explain 
ed  all.  Polly  shook  him  affectionately  by  the  hand  as  they 
had  not  met  since  Paul's  return,  and  without  loss  of  time 
he  wrote  down  the  statement  which  the  dying  man  feebly 
but  distinctly  repeated.  The  handkerchief,  with  five  guin 
eas  tied  up  in  one  corner,  was  found  beneath  the  bed.  With 
much  difficulty  the  sick  man,  supported  by  Joe  Smart,  sub- 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  401 

scribed  his  name  to  the  deposition,  which  was  witnessed  by 
Smart  and  the  coast-guardsman,  together  with  Edith  and 
Polly  Grey. 

"  This  is  all-important,"  said  Captain  Smart,  "  and  it  will 
checkmate  that  villain  Stevens.  "We  must  be  off  to  Fal- 
mouth  by  day-break  to-morrow,"  he  continued ;  "  the*  Ses 
sions  open,  you  are  witnesses,  and  Paul  and  ISTed  will  be 
tried  on  the  following  day.  This  deposition  will  save  them 
both,  and  be  the  ruin  of  Stevens." 

That  night  Captain  Smart  accompanied  Edith  and  Polly 
Grey  to  the  rectory,  while  the  woman  who  had  brought  the 
message  attended  to  the  sick  man. 

On  the  following  morning  Mrs.  Jones,  with  Polly,  Edith, 
and  Captain  Smart,  started  in  the  old  family  coach  with 
four  post-horses  for  Falmouth.  As  they  had  to  pass  Sandy 
Cove,  they  took  various  comforts,  in  the  shape  of  cordials, 
jellies,  and  good  substantial  food,  in  case  the  sick  man 
should  be  still  alive. 

On  arrival  at  the  cliff,  Edith  accompanied  Joe  Smart  to 
the  hut,  and,  to  her  delight,  she  found  the  man  was  not  only 
not  dead,  but  better  than  during  the  previous  night ;  thus, 
leaving  the  wine  and  little  luxuries  with  him,  she  returned 
to  the  carriage  and  posted  rapidly  toward  Falmouth. 

The  town  was  crowded,  as  the  Sessions  had  commenced, 
and  some  difficulty  was  found  in  procuring  rooms  at  a  ho 
tel.  Without  a  moment's  delay  Joe  Smart  went  to  the 
prison,  accompanied  by  Polly  Grey  and  Edith,  to  visit  Paul 
and  Ned,  against  whom  a  true  bill  had  been  found  by  the 
Grand  Jury,  upon  which  Stevens  sat  as  a  magistrate.  The 
good  news  of  the  wrecker's  confession  relieved  their  minds 
from  all  uncertainty,  and  Joe  Smart  immediately  intrusted 
the  deposition  to  the  counsel  for  their  defense. 

The  day  for  the  trial  arrived,  and  Joe  Smart  having  ob- 
tained^eats,  Edith  and  Polly  Grey  accompanied  him  to  the 


402  VAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

court,  which  was  much  crowded.  Paul  and  Ned  were  al 
ready  standing  at  the  bar.  Two  finer  or  more  manly 
figures  could  hardly  have  been  seen  than  those  of  the  pris 
oners,  who  surveyed  the  crowded  court  with  a  simple  curi 
osity  and  complete  indifference  until  their  eyes  caught 
those  of  their  own  party.  A  murmur  ran  through  the 
court  as  the  people  regarded  Ned's  handsome  face  and  dig 
nified  bearing,  and  loud  whispers  were  heard, "  Impossible ; 
he  must  be  innocent !"  until  silence  was  enforced  by  order 
of  the  judge. 

They  were  both  arraigned  on  the  same  charge,  and  in 
clear  and  decided  tones  they  pleaded  "  Not  guilty." 

The  counsel  for  the  prosecution  in  a  short  speech  explain 
ed  to  the  jury  the  prominent  features  of  the  case,  dwelling 
upon  the  salient  facts  that  Paul  and  Ned,  together  with  the 
negro  Tim,  now  dead,  had  been  missing  in  a  mysterious 
manner  on  the  day  following  the  murder ;  that  Mother  Lee 
had  sworn  that  she  had  seen  them,  on  their  way  to  the  vil 
lage,  on  the  same  night  that  the  burglary  was  committed ; 
and  that  the  sum  of  two  hundred  guineas,  which  was  the 
exact  amount  stolen  from  the  rectory,  had  been  discovered 
concealed,  with  valuable  articles  of  jewelry,  in  a  secret  cave 
within  the  house  of  Paul  Grey.  Both  the  prisoners  had 
been  absent  for  years,  and  they  had  appeared  in  England 
within  a  few  weeks  of  each  other,  with  strange  stories  that 
required  confirmation.  The  counsel  then  called  as  first  wit 
ness  the  widow,  Mrs.  Jones.  Having  given  her  umbrella 
to  Captain  Smart  until  her  examination  should  be  conclu 
ded,  she  pushed  her  way  with  somet  difficulty  to  the  witness- 
box,  and  was  duly  sworn.  She  then  proceeded  to  describe 
the  event  in  the  following  words : 

"  I  remember  the  night  well.  My  sainted  husband  was 
in  bed  with  me  on  the  right  side.  He  never  liked  to  sleep 
on  the  left,  poor  man,  as  he  said  the  world  turned^round 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  403 

from  west  to  east,  or  from  east  to  west,  I'm  sure  I  forget 
which,  but  it  doesn't  much  signify.  As  I  was  saying,  he 
was  on  my  right  side,  fast  asleep.  He  was  a  very  good 
sleeper,  poor  man,  but  was  very  quick  at  hearing  a  noise  in 
his  sleep.  Presently  he  was  disturbed,  which,  of  course, 
awoke  me,  for  I  am  a  very  light  sleeper,  and  he  said  :  '  Do 
you  hear  a  noise,  dear  ?'  c  No,  darling,'  I  said,  <  I  do  not ; 
unless  it's  the  cat,  that  is  always  upsetting  things  under  the 
pretense  of  catching  mice '  (in  fact  I  believe,  taking  them 
as  a  whole,  that  cats  do  much  more  damage  themselves  than 
the  mice  and  rats)  ;  don't  you  think  so,  my  lord  ?"  con 
tinued  Mrs.  Jones,  who  now  addressed  the  judge. 

"  Proceed  with  your  description,  madam,  in  as  few  words 
as  possible,"  replied  the  judge  ;  and  Mrs.  Jones  continued: 

"Well,  my  lord,  and  ladies,  and  gentlemen  of  the  jury 
—1  beg  your  pardon,  gentlemen,  I  forgot  there  were  no 
ladies  on  the  jury ;  but  why  there  should  not  be,  I'm  sure 
I  can  not  understand,  for  ladies  are  just  as — " 

Here  Mrs.  Jones  was  stopped  by  the  judge,  and  inform 
ed  that  she  must  confine  herself  to  the  actual  description  of 
what  took  place  on  the  night  of  the  murder. 

"Well,  my  lord  and  gentlemen  of  the  jury,"  she  contin 
ued,  "  as  I  said  to  my  dear  husband,  I  think  it's  the  cat : 
for  you  know  how  he  broke  my  large  china  bowl  the  other 
night  with  his  mouse-catching,  which  I  dare  say  was  an 
excuse  for  love-making  or  milk-stealing,  for  they're  deceit 
ful  creatures.  '  Well,'  I  said,  (  my  dear,  there's  nothing 
like  seeing  for  one's  self,  so  you  had  better  get  up  and  look 
if  you  can  see  in  the  da?k ;  but  perhaps  it  would  be  better 
to  light  a  candle.'  My  dear  husband  then  got  out  of  bed 
and  put  on  his  dressing-gown  for  fear  of  catching  cold,  for 
he  was  very  subject  to  sore  throat ;  and  then  taking  a  pis 
tol  (which  I  was  always  afraid  of,  for  I  think  fire-arms  are 
dangerous  things,  and  I  think  it's  a  pity  that  they  were 


404  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

ever  invented),  he  said  to  me, '  My  darling,  that's  not  a  cat ; 
I  hear  people  in  the  house — they  are  thieves !'  My  dear 
husband  was  afraid  of  nothing,  and  he  begged  me  to  ring 
the  alarm-bell,  but  I  was  too  frightened  to  do  any  thing  but 
lie  beneath  the  bedclothes.  Presently  I  heard  a  shot  fired, 
and  I  got  out  of  bed  and  fainted  on  the  floor.  That  is  all 
I  knew  of  the  affair,  my  lord,  until  I  saw  my  poor  husband's 
body."  Here  Mrs.  Jones  became  deeply  affected,  and  she 
sent  to  Captain  Smart  for  her  handkerchief,  which  she  had 
intrusted  to  his  keeping,  with  her  umbrella. 

During  this  rambling  description,  that  was  delivered 
with  her  usual  volubility,  the  jury  had  been  engaged  in  an 
examination  of  the  various  trinkets  that  had  been  discover 
ed  in  Paul's  house,  together  with  the  bag  of  two  hundred 
guineas. 

Edith  having  been  called  as  a  witness,  gave  her  evidence 
in  a  plain  straightforward  manner  that  excited  the  admira 
tion  of  the  court.  She  concluded  by  declaring  her  convic 
tion  that  when  her  dying  father  had  mentioned  the  name  of 
Ned  Grey,  to  whom  he  was  much  attached,  he  had  intend 
ed  to  give  her  some  advice  concerning  their  intimacy,  as 
the  subject  that  wras  nearest  to  his  heart,  and  that  he  had 
no  intention  of  connecting  his  name  with  the  fearful  trag 
edy. 

At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  the  counsel  for  the  de 
fense  rose  suddenly,  and  holding  in  his  hand  the  deposition 
of  the  sick  man,  he  requested  permission  to  make  a  few  re 
marks,  as,  from  respect  to  the  court,  he  could  no  longer  al 
low  the  case  to  proceed  without  laying  this  important  docu 
ment  before  the  judge. 

"  My  lord,"  he  continued,  "  and  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  I 
am  prepared  to  prove  that  the  charge  against  the  prisoner 
is  not  only  false,  but  that  it  originated  in  the  conspiracy  of 
a  woman  named  Lee,  now  dead,  which  has,  I  am  ashamed 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  405 

to  declare,  been  supported  by  a  man  who  not  only  occupies 
a  high  social  position  in  this  county,  but  who  is  himself  a 
magistrate,  and  at  the  present  moment  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Jury.  The  document  that  I  hold  in  my  hand,  and 
which  I  am  about  to  read  to  the  court,  to  save  valuable 
time  and  to  stay  further  proceedings,  is  the  actual  confes 
sion  of  the  trite  'murderer !  deposed  by  him  when  he  imag 
ined  himself  dying,  and  witnessed  by  four  persons.  It  is 
as  follows :  * 

" f  I,  Thomas  Jackson,  a  dying  man,  do  positively  declare 
upon  my  oath,  as  I  hope  for  pardon  for  my  sins  hereafter, 
that  I  am  the  murderer  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Jones;  and 
that,  in  company  with  one  John  Cain,  since  hanged  for  mur 
der,  I  broke  into  the  rectory  of  the  said  Henry  Jones,  and 
effected  an  entrance  by  forcing  the  kitchen  window.  Hav 
ing  stolen  in  cash  a  bag  containing  two  hundred  guineas, 
which  we  took  from  a  writing-desk,  we  were  disturbed  while 
packing  up  the  plate  within  a  blanket  by  the  appearance  of 
the  Rev.  Henry  Jones,  who  held  a  pistol  in  one  hand  and  a 
lighted  candle  in  the  other.  Cain  cried,  (  Shoot  him !'  and 
I  fired  the  pistol  which  shot  him  down.  "We  then  escaped 
with  the  money.  The  burglary  was  planned  by  a  woman 
of  Sandy  Cove,  well  known  as  Mother  Lee,  since  dead. 
She  swore  falsely  that  she  met  Paul  and  Ned  Grey,  togeth 
er  with  a  negro  named  Tim,  on  the  road  from  the  rectory 
on  the  night  of  the  murder.  These  persons  are  perfectly 
innocent,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  matter ;  but  to  save  us, 
and  to  spite  those  whom  she  hated,  Mother  Lee  conspired 
against  them.  I  feared  to  die  with  this  load  upon  my  mind, 
and  about  fourteen  days  ago  I  sent  to  a  magistrate  to  say 
that  I  wished  to  tell  him  all  about  the  murder. 

"'  Squire  Stevens,  of  Heron  Hall,  was  that  magistrate. 
He  came  to  me,  and  I  told  him  all.  He  told  me  not  to  be 
such  a  fool  as  to  inculpate  myself,  as  I  should  be  surely 


406  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

hanged,  but  to  let  the  law  take  its  course,  as  it  would  be 
better  for  me  if  I  saved  my  neck  and  let  Paul  and  Ned  Grey 
be  hanged  instead.  He  gave  me  five  golden  guineas  to  hold 
my  tongue.  I  took  the  guineas,  but  I  couldn't  sleep,  and 
got  frightened  at  night  when  I  was  alone.  I  knew  the 
squire  was  a  scoundrel,  and  I  could  not  wrong  Miss  Edith 
by  letting  her  marry  such  a  man  without  some  warning, 
after  having  killed  her  father ;  so  I  sent  to  her  to  make  this 
confession,  and  to  ask  her  forgiveness  for  my«crime. — Sign 
ed,  Thomas  Jackson,  in  the  presence  of  Edith  Jones,  Mary 
Grey,  Joseph  Smart,  and  John  Edwards.' 

"  My  lord,"  continued  the  counsel,  "  and  gentlemen  of 
the  jury,  this  confession  terminates  this  extraordinary  case, 
and,  leaving  the  prisoners  in  your  hands,  I  shall  call  no  other 
witnesses  but  one.  I  charge  James  Stevens  with  fraudu 
lent  conspiracy,  for  which  he  shall  answer  to  the  laws  of  his 
country.  Call  Thomas  Jackson,"  continued  the  counsel. 

After  some  little  delay,  during  which  Stevens,  who  was 
pale  as  ashes,  had  endeavored  to  slip  out  of  court,  but  had 
been  recalled,  a  miserable-looking  man,  who  appeared  near 
ly  dead,  was  brought  in  upon  a  stretcher,  and  Thomas  Jack 
son,  who  had  been  secured  for  the  occasion  by  Captain 
Smart,  and  conveyed  in  a  carriage  from  Sandy  Cove,  repeat 
ed  the  substance  of  his  deposition  and  pointed  out  Stevens, 
to  whom  he  swore  personally. 

The  Court  was  amazed  at  the  confession  of  the  spectral 
murderer  who  thus  declared  his  guilt.  Paul  and  Ned  Grey 
shared  in  the  surprise  occasioned  by  his  unexpected  and 
cadaverous  appearance.  The  sick  man  was  immediately 
taken  possession  of  by  the  police,  and  the  stretcher  was 
raised  by  four  men  to  be  carried  out  of  court.  At  this  mo 
ment  a  violent  convulsion  seized  upon  the  now  really  dying 
man,  whose  last  energies  had  been  expended  in  the  strug 
gle  to  deliver  his  confession.  With  drawn  and  contracted 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  407 

features  he  fell  back  upon  the  stretcher,  and,  after  a  few- 
painful  gasps  for  breath,  his  body  remained  in  custody  of 
the  earthly  authorities,  but  his  soul  was  summoned  before 
a  higher  judge. 

Great  excitement  was  caused  in  court  by  this  distressing 
scene;  it  was  hardly  quieted  when  the  judge  addressed  the 
jury  previous  to  their  dismissal.  He  was  a  calm,  dignified- 
looking  man,  of  about  fifty-five  years  of  age,  tall,  with  hand 
some  features,  but  shaded  with  a  peculiar  cast  of  sadness. 
He  requested  that  the  trinkets  and  the  bag  of  guineas  should 
be  handed  to  him  for  inspection.  The  diamond  necklace 
and  locket,  together  with  the  rings,  and  also  the  parcel  of 
hair  that  Polly  Grey  had  saved  from  the  drowned  lady, 
were  laid  before  him,  while  the  counsel  for  the  defense  in 
a  few  words  explained  how  they  had  come  into  the  Greys' 
possession  when  Ned,  as  an  infant,  was  washed  ashore  with 
the  locket  round  his  neck. 

The  judge  examined  the  trinkets  for  a  few  minutes  and 
turned  deadly  pale.  He  then  touched  a  spring  in  the  lock 
et,  of  which  Polly  had  been  ignorant ;  it  flew  open,  and  ex 
posed  the  portrait  of  an  exceedingly  handsome  man  of  about 
thirty  in  a  cavalry  uniform :  this  strongly  resembled  the 
judge. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  his  lordship  ?  Bring  water  !" 
said  several  voices,  as  the  judge,  having  opened  the  parcel 
that  contained  the  long  fair  hair,  fell  back  on  his  seat  for 
the  moment  overpowered  by  faintness.  Water  was  quick 
ly  brought,  and  recovering  his  calmness  by  a  great  effort, 
he  looked  fixedly  at  Ned  Grey  for  some  minutes  in  silence; 
"  Edward  Grey,"  he  at  length  said,  "  retire  with  the  usher 
to  my  private  room."  Ned  Grey  shortly  found  himself 
alone  in  the  judge's  private  chamber. 

Excusing  himself  for  a  few  minutes  on  the  plea  of  indis 
position,  the  judge  left  the  court,  and  entered  the  room 


408  CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

where  Ned  remained  alone.  Advancing  directly  toward 
him,  he  seized  both  his  hands,  and  as  he  stared  intently  in 
his  face  the  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks.  Suddenly  clasp 
ing  him  in  his  arms,  the  judge  pressed  him  fervently  to  his 
breast,  as  he  exclaimed  in  an  agony  of  intense  feeling :  "  My 
son !  my  child  !  cast  up  by  the  sea  !  At  last  I  know  your 
poor  mother's  fate  !  this  is  her  own  dear  hair ;  the  necklace, 
the  rings,  all  were  hers ;  the  locket,  with  my  portrait,  I  gave 
her  on  our  wedding-day.  She  left  for  England,  with  you  an 
infant,  on  the  Calcutta  Indiaman ;  the  ship  was  never  heard 
of ;  and  until  now  I  never  knew  her  fate.  You  are  Edward 
Neville — not  Edward  Grey.  My  own  child !  my  son  !" 

Ned  was  bewildered  with  astonishment.  He  returned 
with  affection  his  father's  passionate  embrace ;  he  could 
hardly  realize  the  situation.  He  had  already  been  told  that 
Polly  was  not  his  own  mother,  and  he  now  discovered  that 
the  grave  upon  which  he  had  often  sat  as  a  boy,  and  won 
dered  at  the  melancholy  epitaph,  covered  the  bones  of  a 
parent  whom  he  had  never  known. 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  409 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

CATHERINE  NEVILLE,  Ned's  unfortunate  and  love 
ly  mother,  had  been  forced  by  ill  health  to  leave  her 
husband  in  India  after  the  birth  of  her  first  child,  the  hero 
of  this  story.  At  that  time  Sir  Charles  Neville  was  a  caval 
ry  officer  in  the  East  India  Company's  army,  but  after  the 
mysterious  disappearance  of  the  vessel  in  which  his  young 
wife  and  child  were  lost,  he  had  become  melancholy,  and 
had  given  up  the  army:  Returned  to  England,  he  entered 
at  the  bar,  and  distinguished  himself  by  extraordinary  abili 
ty  until  he  at  length  became  a  judge.  The  early  sorrow  of 
his  life  had  made  a  deep  impression  upon  him  from  which 
he  had  never  recovered.  He  was  a  man  of  large  fortune, 
who  had  inherited  the  title  and  estates  from  his  father,  who 
was  a  baronet  in  the  county  of  Devonshire ;  thus  Ned,  as 
we  must  still  call  him,  suddenly  found  himself  a  man  of 
both  means  and  position. 

The  Sessions  were  over,  and  Sir  Charles  Neville  now 
formed  one  of  the  party  at  the  rectory  of  Stoke,  as  Ned  had 
confided  to  him  his  affection  for  Edith,  to  whom  he  could 
have  no  possible  objection ;  in  fact,  he  was  perfectly  de 
lighted  with  her  good  qualities,  which,  in  addition  to  her 
beauty,  brought  her  as  near  to  perfection  as  any  woman 
could  attain. 

Sir  Charles  Neville's  first  visit  was  to  the  church-yard  of 
Stoke,  where  he  found  the  simple  inscription  on  the  cross 
stone  above  his  young  wife's  grave,  which  he  shortly 
changed,  as  the  mystery  of  the  "  lady  unknown  "  had  been 

S 


410  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

dispelled  He  accompanied  Ned  to  Sandy  Cove,  where 
Paul  and  Polly  Grey  had  already  taken  possession  of  the 
pretty  old  cottage  on  the  cliff ;  there  he  sat  upon  the  terrace- 
wall  and  listened  to  the  sad  story  of  the  wreck,  as  Polly  de 
scribed  that  fatal  night,  and  pointed  out  the  spot  where  she 
and  Paul  had  discovered  his  lovely  young  wife  floating 
drowned  upon  the  surface,  with  her  long  fair  hair  that  they 
had  at  first  mistaken  for  yellow  sea-weed. 

Polly  Grey  then  showed  him  the  spot  where  Ned,  as  an 
infant,  had  been  washed  on  shore,  and  she  omilted  nothing 
in  her  description  of  the  boy's  early  life  until  the  time  when 
he  had  been  taken  on  boa*rd  the  Sylille. 

A  few  days  after  he  had  visited  Sandy  Cove  Paul  Grey 
and  Polly  received  a  letter  from  Sir  Charles  Neville  ex 
pressing  his  warm  acknowledgments  for  all  the  parental 
kindness  they  had  shown  his  son  Ned,  when  friendless  and 
destitute,  and  informing  them  that  a  sum  of  £3000  was 
lodged  to  Paul  Grey's  credit  at  the  bank  in  Falmouth, 
which  he  trusted  would  in  some  measure  testify  his  admi 
ration  of  their  generosity,  and  render  them  independent  for 
the  remainder  of  their  lives. 

This  sudden  and  unexpected  wealth  hardly  compensated 
Polly  Grey  for  the  loss  of  Ned,  whom  she  loved  as  her  own 
son,  and  who  now  would  most  probably  leave  the  neighbor 
hood  of  his  old  home.  Neither  could  Ned  quite  enjoy  his 
new  position  without  a  feeling  of  regret  at  the  startling 
change.  He  had  received  from  Polly  the  care  and  affection 
of  a  mother,  which  he  returned  as  warmly ;  and  he  deter 
mined  that  no  alteration  in  his  social  position  should  lessen 
the  filial  gratitude  that  he  owed  to  her.  Delighted  that 
his  father  had  thus  generously  provided  for  his  adopted 
parents,  Ned  now  longed  to  make  Edith  his  own  without 
delay. 

In  the  mean  time  James  Stevens  had  been  arrested  on  a 


CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA.  411 

charge  of  conspiracy.  He  had  been  liberated  upon  bail  to 
appear  at  the  next  Sessions,  but  although  freed  from  ar 
rest,  he  was  scouted  by  all  who  knew  him.  When  he  rode 
through  the  village  the  boys  pelted  him,  and  he  was  insult 
ed  continually  in  the  streets ;  his  life  was  a  constant  tor 
ment.  In  spite  of  his  callous  nature  he  had  loved  Edith  to 
desperation ;  he  had  been  scorned  by  her ;  she  was  now  in 
the  arms  of  his  rival,  who,  no  longer  the  foundling  Ned 
Grey,  was  heir  to  his  father's  title  and  estates.  Every  thing 
had  turned  against  him.  Edith  had  returned  to  him  the 
horse  and  dog  that  he  had  presented  to  her.  He  shot  them 
both  immediately. 

But  it  was  not  only  the  world  that  was  against  him,  it 
was  the  law  that  he  dreaded ;  he  could  hardly  escape  im 
prisonment  for  the  conspiracy  of  which  he  had  been  guilty. 
At  all  events,  he  would  be  forever  disgraced. 

Thus  tormented  in  mind,  Stevens  was  without  a  single 
friend  to  whom  he  could  turn  for  comfort  or  advice ;  he 
had  not  even  a  dog  that  loved  him.  Months  passed  away ; 
the  day  drew  near  when  the  Sessions  would  commence,  and 
Stevena's  bail  would  expire ;  he  would  have  to  surrender 
himself  for  trial. 

It  was  a  lovely  day  in  spring,  as  warm  as  midsummer ; 
the  bright  green  leaves  had  clothed  the  trees  with  their 
new-born  foliage ;  the  hawthorn  was  in  full  blossom ;  the 
blue-bells,  and  primroses  on  the  banks,  and  the  wild  roses 
in  the  hedges,  gave  a  hopeful  glow  to  the  scene  as  Nature 
seemed  to  rejoice  that  the  icy  fetters  of  winter  were  broken, 
and  she  was  once  more  free  to  revel  in  her  beauties.  It 
was  a  time  when  all  should  have  been  happy :  there  was  a 
peaceful  calm  in  the  soft  air,  broken  only  by  the  songs  of 
the  skylark,  and  other  birds  that  sang  joyfully  among  the 
tall  trees.  The  hens,  proud  of  their  young  broods,  busied 
themselves  in  a  search  for  insects  for  the  newly-hatched 


412  CAST   UP  BY   THE  SEA. 

chickens ;  goslings,  like  balls  of  golden  down,  floated  upon 
the  ponds  of  the  farm-yards ;  young  foals  gambolled  in  the 
fields,  which  resounded  with  the  bleating  of  the  now  hardy 
lambs,  and  the  earth  had  awakened  to  the  command,  "  In 
crease  and  multiply."  Could  any  one  be  unhappy  in  such 
a  scene  ? 

It  was  the  morning,  and  James  Stevens  walked  hastily 
to  and  fro  on  the  broad  terrace  before  his  mansion  that 
commanded  a  view  of  the  sea,  with  the  tall  spire  of  the  vil 
lage  of  Stoke  sheltered  in  the  vale  about  three  miles  distant. 
All  was  beautiful  and  calm  in  nature,  but  there  was  no  peace 
within  his  heart.  His  face  was  haggard  with  care,  and 
deep  lines  already  furrowed  his  features,  while  a  gloomy 
frown  had  settled  upon  his  brow.  There  was  a  mighty  oak 
upon  the  lawn,  whose  gnarled  branches  cast  a  shadow  far 
and  wide :  beneath  this  tree  was  a  rustic  seat,  upon  which 
Stevens  presently  sat  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  rose  again 
in  his  restless  humor. 

He  started.  "Ha  I'1  he  said,  "  the  bells  !  all  happy  but 
myself.  Death  and  confusion  seize  them !  They  are  the 
Stoke  church-bells !  He  marries  her  this  morning^  and  I 
am  lost,  despised,  trampled  down,  disgraced,  and  my  enemy 
triumphs !" 

Stevens  folded  his  arms,  and  biting  his  lips  till  the  blood 
flowed,  he  slowly  raised  his  head  and  looked  steadfastly 
among  the  branches  of  the  tree. 

In  the  mean  time,  while  his  evil  spirit  held  possession  of 
him,  and  he  brooded  savagely  over  his  defeat,  all  was  joy 
and  happiness  at  Stoke.  It  was  the  day  for  Edith's  mar 
riage.  The  church-bells  were  ringing  merrily,  and  the  vil 
lage  people  were  gayly  dressed  in  their  best  clothes,  while 
the  approach  from  the  rectory  to  the  church  was  ornament 
ed  with  triumphal  arches  of  leaves  and  flowers ;  the  path 
way  through  the  church-yard  was  carpeted  and  thickly 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  413 

strewn  with  sweet-scented  blossoms,  and  lined  on  either 
side  by  rows  of  prettily-dressed  children,  all  of  whom  loved 
Edith  and  delighted  in  the  happiness  of  the  day. 

Ned  was  already  standing  in  the  church,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Smart,  who  acted  as  bridegroom's  man.  The  noise 
of  many  wheels  was  heard,  and  the  string  of  carriages 
approached,  as  Edith,  having  alighted,  was  received  with 
cheers  from  the  assembled  throng  of  village  children  as  she 
was  led  by  Sir  Charles  Neville  along  the  flowery  pathway. 
Never  had  she  looked  so  lovely,  and  as  Ned  received  her  at 
the  altar,  before  which  they  knelt  together,  the  blessings  of 
the  multitude  were  expressed  in  simple  but  earnest  words, 
"  God  spare  them  to  live  happily  together." 

Once  more  the  bells  pealed  merrily  as  Ned  led  his  bride 
from  the  church-door,  and  the  children  and  women  shower 
ed -sweet  nosegays  before  their  feet,  amid  the  loud  hurrahs 
of  many  hundred  voices. 

"  One  cheer  more,"  shouted  Captain  Smart,  as  with  his 
only  remaining  hand  he  waved  his  cap  above  his  head,  and 
led  the  "Hip  !  hip  !  hip  !  hurrah  !" 

"  What  a  nice  dear  man  he  is !"  said  Mrs.  Jones  to  Polly 
Grey  ;  "  how  I  do  love  a  sailor  !  What  a  pity  that  he  does 
not  marry ;  he  would  make  such  a  perfect  husband !  al 
though,  by-the-by,  my  dear,  with  only  one  arm  he  would  "be 
an  imperfect  husband,  certainly,  but  it's  all  the  same  thing 
in  the  end.  I  do  so  wish  Captain  Smart  would  think  of 
marriage." 

The  happy  day  was  nearly  over ;  the  guests  were  gone, 
and  only  Mr.  Banks,  the  clergyman  who  had  officiated,  re 
mained.  Ned  called  him  on  one  side. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  he,  "  to  me  this  is  a  day  of  such 
true  and  perfect  joy,  after  all  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of 
my  life,  that  I  can  not  rest  so  long  as  I  have  an  enemy 
whom  I  have  not  forgiven.  There  is  one  whom  you  know, 


414  CAST   UP  BY   THE  S&A. 

James  Stevens,  the  squire  —  who  has  through  life,  even 
from  early  boyhood,  hated  me  with  an  uncalled-for  inten 
sity,  although  I  would  have  made  him  my  friend.  Act  for 
me  as  a  peace-maker,  I  pray  you.  Go  to  him  and  tell  him 
from  me  that  I  will  forget  every  injury,  and  I  trust  that  the 
past  may  be  forgotten  on  both  sides.  Say  to  him  that  I 
stretch  out  my  hand,  and  let  him  receive  it  in  sincerity." 

The  good-natured  clergyman  would  hear  of  no  delay,  but, 
happy  in  the  office  of  peace-maker,  he  returned  home,  and 
mounting  his  pony,  he  rode  at  once  to  Heron  Hall. 

The  moon  was  full  when  he  started,  and  upon  his  strong 
black  cob  he  trotted  quickly  forward. 

On  arrival  at  the  entrance  lodge  he  had  to  dismount  to 
open  the  gate,  as  the  porter  and  his  family  were  enjoying 
themselves  in  the  village,  where  a  grand  feast  for  all  comers 
had  been  prepared  by  Mrs.  Jones.  Having  passed  through, 
he  rode  up  the  long  avenue  of  elm-trees  until  he  arrived  at 
the  oak  upon  the  lawn,  the  branches  of  which  overhung  the 
carriage-drive. 

As  the  moon  shone  through  the  tree,  it  cast  a  horrible 
shadow  upon  the  ground  before  the  horse's  feet ;  the  animal 
shied,  and  nearly  gave  the  clergyman  a  fall.  At  this  mo 
ment  an  owl  upon  the  boughs  gave  a  shrill  and  wild  "  too- 
hoo,  too-hoo,  too-hoo,  too-hoo,  too-hoo-o-o-o-o  !"  The  pony 
startled,  turned  sharp  round,  and  threw  its  rider  heavily 
upon  the  lawn  beneath  the  tree,  while  it  galloped  off  in  the 
direction  of  the  village. 

Mr.  Banks,  half-stunned  and  giddy  with  the  fall,  rose 
from  the  ground.  He  was  not  naturally  superstitious,  but 
he  had  an  indescribable  feeling  of  something  terrible.  There 
was  an  old  swing  upon  the  oak,  and  the  creak  of  the  iron 
hook  now  jarred  in  his  ear  as  the  wind  swung  it  to  and  fro. 
He  started  at  a  shadow  on  the  ground.  It  looked  like  a 
human  being  suspended  by  the  neck  to  a  naked  and  wither- 


CAST   UP  BY  THE  SEA.  417 

ed  branch.  He  looked  up,  and  the  first  object  that  met  his 
view  was  the  body  of  a  man  hanging  from  one  of  the  ropes 
that  had  formed  the  swing.  The  feet  were  only  a  yard 
from  the  ground. 

Without  an  instant's  delay  the  terrified  clergyman  rush 
ed  frantically  to  the  Hall  and  rang  the  door-bell  loudly.  It 
was  quickly  answered.  "A  ladder  and  a  knife  !"  cried  the 
clergyman.  "  Where  is  the  squire  ?" 

"  The  squire  said  he  was  going  to  Stoke,  sir,"  replied  the 
astonished  servant. 

"  Quick  with  the  knife  and  ladder !  A  man  has  hung 
himself  on  the  oak-tree  !"  continued  Mr.  Banks. 

In  a  few  minutes  several  servants,  with  a  knife  and  a  lad 
der,  had  accompanied  him  to  the  oak,  and  the  rope  being 
quickly  severed,  the  body  was  let  down. 

A  cry  of  horror  and  surprise  was  uttered  by  all  present 
as  they  recognized  the  swollen  and  discolored  features  of 

James  Stevens. 

****** 

Nearly  two  years  had  passed  away  since  that  fatal  night. 
The  rectory  once  more  resounded  with  the  shouts  of  merry 
boys,  as  Mr.  Banks  had  married  Mrs.  Jones,  and  kept  a 
school.  She  had  comforted  herself  with  the  idea  that  "  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel  was  a  more  godly  man  than  a  sailor, 
not  that  sailors  were  ungodly,  as  St.  Paul  was  a  sailor,  or 
very  nearly  one  ;  it  didn't  matter  which,  so  long  as  he  went 
to  sea :  but  the  hearts  of  ministers  of  the  Gospel  were  not 
so  hard  as  those  of  sailors,  as  they  were  not  so  much  ex 
posed  to  the  wind  and  weather.  Captain  Smart  had  been 
very  much  exposed.  It  was  a  very  great  pity,  for  he  was  a 
very  perfect  specimen  of  a  British  sailor — that  is  to  say,  he 
would  have  been  if  he  hadn't  lost  an  arm ;  but  a  minister  of 
the  Gospel,  with  a  tender  heart  and  two  arms,  was  certain 
ly  a  more  perfect  husband  than  a  British  sailor  with  a  tough 


418  CAST    UP  BY  THE  SEA. 

heart  and  only  one  arm."  Thus  Mrs.  Jones  comforted  her 
self  with  her  own  peculiar  logic. 

The  cottage  on  the  cliff  at  Sandy  Cove  had  been  much 
beautified  and  re-furnished.  There  was  a  large  porch,  fitted 
with  seats,  and  shaded  with  woodbine  and  sweet  clematis : 
here  Paul  Grey  delighted  to  sit  with  his  still  handsome  wife, 
and  smoke  his  pipe  on  a  long  summer  evening,  and  talk 
over  old  times  as  he  looked  upon  the  sea.  It  was  then  that 
the  well-known  step  was  often  heard,  and  Joe  Smart  appear 
ed  as  in  days  of  old ;  and  the  two  friends,  who  loved  each 
other  like  twin  brothers,  would  chat  over  the  adventurous 
deeds  of  their  youth,  while  Polly  knitted  and  listened  un 
tiringly  to  their  oft-repeated  tales.  There  was  a  pretty 
smart-looking  lugger  anchored  in  the  bay,  much  resembling 
the  old  Polly,  and  christened  with  her  name.  Now  that 
Ned  Grey  was  gone,  this  vessel  was  Paul's  only  child. 
Often  would  he  cruise  with  his  old  friend  Joe  Smart  (for  he 
had  long  given  up  all  dealings  in  contraband),  and  he  de 
lighted  to  point  out  to  the  revenue-officer  the  places  where 
he  had  run  a  cargo,  and  tell  how  the  old  Polly  had  dodged 
the  Government  cruisers  and  laughed  at  their  fastest  cut 
ters. 

"Ah,  those  were  good  old  times !"  Paul  would  exclaim, 
as  he  laughed  at  his  friend  Smart.  "  The  old  Polly  was  a 
saucy  boat  that  was  too  sharp  even  for  a  certain  Captain 
Smart  of  his  Majesty's  coast-guard." 

Whatever  the  good  qualities  and  questionable  virtues  of 
the  old  Polly  might  have  been,  Paul's  new  lugger  bore  an 
unblemished  reputation. 

Ned  and  Edith  lived  happily  with  Sir  Charles  Neville  at 
Elmley  Court,  his  seat  in  Devon,  whence  they  sometimes 
went  to  visit  the  cottage  at  Sandy  Cove,  to  the  great  delight 
of  Paul  and  Polly  Grey. 

It  was  a  lovely  day  in  August,  the  anniversary  of  that 


CAST    UP  BY   THE  SEA.  419 

when  Ned  as  an  infant  had  been  washed  on  shore.  He  and 
Edith  were  expected  at  the  Cove.  The  carriage-wheels 
were  heard  upon  the  cliff,  and  Polly  rushed  out  upon  the 
terrace  to  meet  her  anxiously-awaited  guests. 

Edith  had  a  treasure  that  she  longed  to  exhibit  to  her 
old  friend  Polly  Grey.  It  was  her  first  child,  a  boy  about 
four  months  old ;  she  had  christened  it  Edward  Grey  Ne 
ville. 

Descending  the  zigzag  path  with  the  child  in  her  arms, 
wrapped  in  a  warm  shawl,  Edith  followed  Ned,  and  then 
ascending  from  the  little  village  by  the  steep  footway,  she 
arrived  on  the  terrace  in  front  of  the  old  cottage. 

After  the  first  loving  greeting,  Polly,  who  considered 
herself  the  grandmother  of  Ned's  child,  hastily  withdrew 
the  shawl  from  the  face  of  the  lovely  infant  and  took  it  in 
her  arms.  Gently  kissing  its  sleeping  face,  she  regarded  it 
attentively  for  some  moments,  and  exclaimed,  "Three-and- 
twenty  years  have  passed  away  this  very  day,  and  they 
seem  but  as  yesterday  !  Here  is  the  child  !  the  same  in  face 
and  age  as  that  little  Ned  Grey  that  I  pressed  to  my  breast 
and  nursed  as  my  own — a  blessing  from  God  to  my  child 
less  home — a  son  cast  up  ~by  the,  sea!" 


THE    END. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 

AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE,  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $i.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


DEC 


193 


MftR    101044 


IRCULATION  nt:PT. 


rec'd  circ,  MAR  2  2  1983 


U.C.  BERKELEY  LIBRARIES 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


